Casualty Christmas guest stars revealed! And where you've seen them before!

Casualty Nurse Jacob Masters his reminded of his own son while treating a vulnerable patient
(Image credit: BBC)

Casualty spoilers! We reveal who’s appearing in the Casualty Christmas special and their intriguing seasonal storylines…

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the ED guest star appearances added intrigue and mystery… Casualty have pulled out all the stops on moving guest stories this Christmas.

Here’s our Casualty guide to the special Christmas guests and their seasonal storylines…

Michael Starke stars as Joe Blake

Veteran soap star Michael Starke

Veteran soap star Michael Starke (pic: Geoffrey Swaine/REX/Shutterstock)

Best known for: Liverpudlian actor Michael Starke will forever be known as Brookside’s Sinbad to a certain generation of viewers. Michael starred as cheery window cleaner Thomas ‘Sinbad’ Sweeney from 1982 until 2000. During his time on C4’s controversial soap Michael was involved in one of its most explosive storylines – the murder and burial of abuser Trevor Jordache under the patio.

Other work: Michael, 61, is also known for playing Kenneth Hopkirk in The Royal (2003 – 2008), and his role as kebab shop owner Jerry Morton in Coronation Street (2007 – 2008), where he clashed with Gail Platt and had a romance with Eileen Grimshaw. Most recently Michael appeared in Benidorm (2018) as Dodgy Dave!

Casualty story: When we meet widowed Joe Blake he’s delighted to be working a shift as a factory security guard with colleague Alun. Both men end up in the ED after getting injured trying to apprehend a homeless trespasser. Despite being at death’s door, however, heartbreakingly neither can admit their true feelings for each other – especially when Joe’s brother-in-law George turns up. Can unlikely cupid, doctor Dylan Keogh, help heal their matters of the heart?

Graham Seed stars as Alun Whiteford

Best known for: Graham is best known for playing Nigel Pargetter in BBC’s radio drama The Archers from 1983 until 2011.

Other work: Graham, 68, is a familiar face on British telly and starred in The Children of the New Forest (1977), C.A.B (1986), and Crossroads as Charlie Mycroft (1987 – 1988). He also made appearances in Brideshead Revisited, Coronation Street, various Victoria Wood productions, Brookside and The Durrells.

Casualty story: There are crossed wires between security guards Alun and Joe – and we don’t mean the accidental electrocution, which lands them in hospital! Romance seems to be budding for Alun and his colleague Joe, until Joe’s brother-in-law George reveals Joe’s met someone new called Emily! Will Alun be lonely this Christmas?

Steven Hillman stars as George

Best known for: Chances are, if you’re a Coronation Street fan, you recognise Steven. He’s had several guest roles during pivotal Corrie storylines. Our favourites include his appearance as jury foreman when Steve McDonald was accused of handling stolen whiskey in 1996 and as Weatherfield Arms’ landlord Colin Rothwell in 2003. He also played DS Fordham in 2010’s Carla Connor/Tony Gordon storyline. Most recently Steven starred as a fire investigator in 2017 after Kevin Webster’s garage was torched by Andy Carver, who was blackmailed into arson by villain Pat Phelan!

Other work: Steven is also known for his recurring roles in Steel River Blues, Shameless, The Royal, Emmerdale and Safe.

Casualty story: Taxi driver George is horrified when his brother-in-law, Joe, ends up in hospital fighting for his life on Christmas Eve. Joe was married to George’s recently deceased sister, and thinks of him as a brother. Which is why George is delighted that Joe has met someone new. But is Joe hiding something from George? This is Casualty, of course he is!

Maya Grant stars as Amy Nugent

Hospital porter Gem Dean knows 'agency' nurse Amy is up to something

Hospital porter Gem Dean knows 'agency' nurse Amy is up to something (Image credit: BBC)

Best known for: Maya is best known for her recent role in Emmerdale as nurse Anya Peate. During her time in the Dales Anya treated Ross Burton after he suffered life-changing facial burns.

Other work: Maya starred in monster movie Alien Uprising (2012). She’s also becoming a regular on British TV with guest roles on Holby City (2013) and Father Brown (2015). Maya is due to appear in Doctors in 2019.

Casualty story: Maya stars in Casualty’s Christmas special as agency nurse Amy Nugent – who you may have seen in the Casualty Winter trailer trying to introduce herself to doctor Dylan Keogh! Amy’s presence in the ED is something of a mystery and potentially sinister. She seems determined to stay in Resus and has her eye on some essential hospital equipment, which goes missing as Joe’s life hangs in the balance…

Ben Ryan Davies stars as Laurence ‘Laurie’ Gibbs

Best known for: Ben played enterprising schoolboy Ronan Burley in Waterloo Road from 2010 until 2012. During his time on the show Ronan had his heart broken by girlfriend Vicki MacDonald – played by current Casualty star Rebecca Ryan, who happens to be heavily involved in his Casualty Christmas storyline!

Other work: Ben, 29, starred in Rough Diamond (2007), From There to Here (2014), and Black Work with Sheridan Smith (2015). Ben helped carry Hollyoaks’ much-talked about 2016 sexual consent storyline as Nick Savage. His character was jailed in 2017.

Casualty story: Laurie is in cahoots with agency nurse Amy Nugent, even going so far as to sham illness to buy Amy more time for her nefarious intentions. Junior doctor Rash Masum is baffled as he attempts to treat faker Laurie, while Amy looks for an opportunity to steal a vital medical machine. Amy and Laurie’s suspicious behaviour goes unnoticed by trusting Rash, but Rash’s observant girlfriend and hospital porter, Gem Dean, clocks that all is not as it seems…

Devon Anderson stars as Robby

Best known for: Devon became a household name when he starred as young Billie Jackson in EastEnders from 1993 to 1997. The Jackson family were forced to go into hiding when Billie witnessed a bank robbery! Devon returned to EastEnders as Billie in 2010 when he was involved in a dramatic storylines with Billie’s mum Carol and girlfriend Whitney Dean. Viewers were left shocked when Billie died from alcohol poisoning celebrating his birthday.

Other work: Devon, 31, was a successful child actor and appeared in 1997’s Spice Girl movie, Spice World. He also played main character Taj Lewis in CBBC’s Kerching! Devon played Sonny Valentine in Hollyoaks from 2006 until 2007.

Casualty story: Devon stars in Casualty this Christmas as an initially unnamed homeless man, who nurse Jacob Masters later discovers is called Robby. While looking for a safe place to sleep, Robby triggers the factory alarm, which ultimately results in Robby and security guards Joe and Alun needing urgent medical treatment. After the accident Robby can’t remember his own name and, moved by the mysterious young man’s plight, Jacob decides to try and help him – only to make a shocking discovery!

Read more about the Christmas episode here. Casualty’s Christmas special airs on BBC1, 22 December at 8.40pm.

Elaine Reilly
Writer for TV Times, What’s On TV, TV & Satellite Week and What To Watch

With twenty years of experience as an entertainment journalist, Elaine writes for What’s on TV, TV Times, TV & Satellite Week and www.whattowatch.com covering a variety of programs from gardening and wildlife to documentaries and drama.

 

As well as active involvement in the WTW family’s social media accounts, she has been known to get chatty on the red carpet and wander into the odd podcast. 


After a day of previewing TV, writing about TV and interviewing TV stars, Elaine likes nothing than to relax… by watching TV.