Casualty is welcoming Suzanne Packer back for a special seasonal episode after she decided to leave the soap back in 2015. She is known for her role as Tess Bateman who she played for 12 years.
Speaking about her return to the medical soap, Suzanne Packer says: "I was so delighted to be asked back to Casualty for a couple of episodes. It was an absolute joy to work with the team again, especially Derek!
"Most of my scenes were with him, add that to a wonderful script by Barbara Machin and to work alongside Holly Aird, it was a dream return. I couldn’t have asked for anything more."
Throughout her time on the series, Suzanne's character developed friendships with Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) and Abs Denham (James Redmond) and fans also got some insights into Tess' personal life in some important storylines too.
Former Casualty plots featured the breakdown of Tess and Mike's marriage and her son Sam's bipolar disorder, two things that put a strain on her professional life. She also had an affair with married nurse Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher (Alex Walkinshaw) which lasted for two years.
Suzanne retweeted a fan who had spotted the news, confirming that she'd definitely be appearing for the special episodes.
The official plot for Suzanne's return to Casualty reads: "As a still-grieving Charlie prepares for Christmas on his own, old friend and nurse Tess arrives, having picked up shifts over the festive period. Throughout their shift together, Tess notices Charlie's awful mood, and it's evident that the Covid crisis is taking its toll on him. When Dylan announced they're running out of oxygen canisters, Charlie's mood worsens, and then a troubled patient from the past returns for revenge."
It sounds like a thrilling return for Suzanne Packer, with the first of the two-part special airing on Saturday, Dec 4. The second episode will air the following week. We can't wait to tune in!
Casualty continues on BBC1. For further information, be sure to check out our TV guide and soap spoilers pages.
