7 Casualty theories on Connie Beauchamp's replacement
Casualty spoilers follow.
Say it ain't so! Casualty confirmed earlier this week that Amanda Mealing is leaving her popular role as Connie Beauchamp after seven years in charge of the ED.
Connie's upcoming exit means her highly-sought-after position as the department's Clinical Lead is now wide open, and speculation is already rife about who will replace her.
From some exciting returns (show boss Loretta Preece did promise us, after all) to some current character promotions, we've rounded up all the best theories – and thrown in a few wild cards, as well.
1. Dylan Keogh
Let's start with one of the most likely options and that's trusty Dylan. The straight-talking cynic has braved a handful of brief stints as clinical lead already and seems like the most natural candidate to step up in the wake of Connie's departure.
Of course, there's every chance that Dylan might pass on the offer this time around, especially if those Casualty bosses fancy a change of scenery higher up in the department. Speaking of which…
2. Nick Jordan
We know, we know, this one is a little very ambitious, but with Casualty's milestone anniversary fast-approaching, what better time to bring one of the show's all-time favourites back to the ED?
After crossing over from Holby in 2008, Nick had a successful stint as the ED's big boss for the five years that followed, only bowing out to care of his seriously unwell partner Yvonne – who later passed away. He would therefore be an ideal candidate to step into Connie's hard-to-fill shoes, and will no doubt pick up from where he left off.
As we said above, Casualty boss Loretta did promise that there were some exciting returns ahead in this current series, but is a Nick Jordan comeback too optimistic? Possibly.
3. Lily Chao
Lily was shaping up to be Connie's number one protégé before she said goodbye back in 2017 – and therefore could be the perfect person for her to pass the baton to.
That's not the only reason she's made this list though as some eagle-eyed fans reckon actress Crystal Lu has been dropping some hints on Instagram.
Lily swapped the ED for a placement abroad, making it all the more likely that she'd be ready to take on the biggest challenge of her career four years later. And with her ex-boyfriend Iain Dean also heading back to Holby this year, could we be gearing up for a #Lilian reunion? It's likely.
4. Ethan Hardy
Try as he might, Ethan didn't quite cut it during his brief stint as Connie's Clinical Lead replacement in early 2018 – but we're keeping him in the running all the same.
Ethan endured a hectic, and ever so slightly hideous, stint as the ED's manager back in 2018, and like Dylan, could be a likely contender for Connie's replacement. But given Ethan's troubling history in charge, should he just cut his losses and accept he's not a manager? George Rainsford – who plays him – seems to think so.
"When I was told that he was going to step in and become Clinical Lead for a bit, I knew I had to play what was written," he said to Digital Spy in the past.
"So we saw him struggle and all these things were introduced to put even more pressure on him. He had all sorts of things to deal with, which he handled really, really badly."
5. Ciaran Coulson
Going up against Connie was never going to end well for Ciaran, but could there be a place for him in the department once she has gone?
Baddie Ciaran Coulson had a memorable stint in the show back in 2019, when he was introduced as a new enemy for a struggling Connie.
Designed to make an impact, Ciaran quickly caused ructions during an already-difficult time for Connie, but who will be his next target if he returns to the hospital?
6. Zoe Hanna
Prior to Connie's crossover from Holby in 2014, fan favourite Zoe Hanna had a pretty disastrous stint as Clinical Lead as well.
If we cast our minds back seven years, Connie successfully managed to coerce her frenemy into stepping down from the top spot, meaning there could be some poetic justice in Zoe returning to regain her former glory.
But given that Zoe hasn't worked at the ED since 2016 (and was happily settled in America, last time we heard), a return for her seems unlikely at this stage. But we can still hope regardless.
7. Someone new
Of course, it's entirely possible that Casualty could break tradition and introduce a new character to take on Connie's position.
As we've seen with Max McGerry (Jo Martin) in sister show Holby City, bringing in new blood higher up can shake up the dynamic, create new tensions and therefore a plethora of fresh and exciting stories. And who can really complain about that?
Casualty continues tonight (March 6) at 9pm on BBC One.
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