Casualty's Charlie Fairhead returns but there's more heartbreak for him

The Casualty original, played by Derek Thompson, has certainly been through the wringer of late. His wife, fellow original character Lisa "Duffy" Duffin (Cathy Shipton) recently passed away in heartbreaking scenes and Charlie has been struggling to cope as a result. He has been short-tempered and behaving very out of character - something that concerned Jacob enough to report his behaviour as a worry. That act was the final straw for Charlie and he angrily quit his job and stormed out of the hospital.

But when we see him again, he has fallen lower and he has been taking solace in alcohol in an attempt to bury his grief over Duffy. When he returns to the hospital it isn't as a staff member, it's as a patient. After a fall in the park, he is brought in and his former colleagues are shocked to see how much he has declined. He is drunk when he is admitted and by the looks of it, he has sleeping rough and failing to look after himself. Connie, in particular, is disturbed to see her colleague in this way and sets about trying to keep his admission quiet so that his reputation can be spared.

Charlie though rejects her help. Instead, he lashes out and snidely mentions mistakes she made when treating Duffy. Connie does her best to not let his words get to her and instead focuses on getting him to realise that he has an alcohol problem that seriously needs addressing. Adding that he needs to work out how to deal with his grief, he rejects her help and discharges herself as soon as he gets a chance without her knowing. Heading straight to the pub, Connie and Jacob are left wondering whether Charlie will ever find himself again.

Casualty continues Saturday, April 25th, at 7.25pm on BBC One. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV guide.