It’s only been a few weeks since Derek Thompson waved goodbye to Casualty viewers, as he walked out of Holby City’s A&E Department for the final time.
But the Belfast-born star, who played much-loved nurse Charlie Fairhead in the medical drama for nearly 40 years, is back on our screens in one of BBC1's biggest shows this week.
Derek joins the cast of hit cop drama Blue Lights in the second episode of Blue Lights season 2, at the centre of a powerful storyline with roots in the darkest days of Northern Ireland’s past.
"Blue Lights was my favourite show of last year!" says Derek. "I heard a rumour they were going straight to series two as quickly as they could, so I got in touch with my agent and asked her to drop my name in the hat.
"I got hooked into it with what I thought was going to be one episode, with a guest character, but my agent came back to me and said: 'Well actually they want you to do five episodes out of six!' I was thrilled with that!"
Derek is playing former RUC Special Branch officer Robin Graham, who tried to sue the government for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder related to the 1978 bombing of a Belfast fish and chip shop.
It’s a tragedy that still haunts Happy Kelly (Paddy Jenkins), whose father and brother died in the blast, so when solicitor Jen Robinson (Hannah McClean) stumbles upon Robin’s statement, she hopes he can help finally lay ghosts from her friend’s past to rest…
"Eventually Robin realises Jen is the route to salvation and he wants to tell his story," says Derek. "That's the only way his conscience will do what it has to do. It’s a phenomenal tale. I can't tell you how hard-hitting it was to be stood there with Hannah McClean. Her character is just refusing to go away and when he shares his story you see the relationship that builds between the two of them."
Derek says working alongside Hannah McClean, who plays Jen Robinson, was a fantastic experience and that she reminded him of another star he'd worked closely with in Casualty.
"Jen was very forthcoming with her thoughts on what I'd come up with and I was really grateful for that," he says. "When I was watching her really closely I thought she was like the twin of Eli Lawless (Eli plays Stevie Nash in Casualty), another virtuoso actor!
"When Hannah switches it on, you're utterly convinced, but even when you’ve done a scene six times, you still don't know what she's going to come up with next. It feels fresh every time!"
Blue Lights season 2 premiered on Monday, April 15 on BBC One. All six episodes are now on BBC iPlayer. Episode 2 is being shown on BBC One on Monday 22 April at 9pm on BBC One.
