Departing Casualty legend Derek Thompson joins cast of Blue Lights
The Charlie Fairhead actor will guest star as a retired police officer in season 2.
This year will see Casualty legend Derek Thompson, who has played Charlie Fairhead on the show for 37 years, depart from the series - however, fans will soon have another chance to see the star on screen, as he has officially joined the cast of Blue Lights.
Thompson will be seen in a guest role in the second season of the Belfast-based police drama, playing retired officer Robin Graham.
Robin will first be introduced in the second episode of the season, and it has already been teased that his past and conscience catch up with him when trainee solicitor Jen Robinson investigates a decades old case, one that has dangerous implications for the present.
Thompson said: "I loved the first series of Blue Lights and thought, as did the majority of my friends and colleagues, that it was the best new TV series of last year. I was thrilled and excited {star jumps in the living room} when I got the invitation to take part in series two."
He continued: "I was born in Belfast and was equally excited {more star jumps} to travel over to work on the show and pleased to report, having read the scripts, that I'm sure the fans will love the second series every bit as much as the first. Greatly looking forward to it myself as I'm one of them."
Read more:
- Blue Lights confirms new and returning cast in first look at season 2
- Blue Lights' Sian Brooke explains personal family inspiration for role
Season 2 of Blue Lights will see Grace, Annie and Tommy growing up fast as police officers, and will be set a year since the fall of the McIntyre crime gang. With the vacuum being filled by rival gangs, Constable Shane Bradley is drafted in to help, but his motivations are unclear.
It will once again star Siân Brooke, Martin McCann, Katherine Devlin, Nathan Braniff, Joanne Crawford, Andi Osho, and Hannah McClean, while Frank Blake joins the cast as Shane Bradley.
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The first season of the show was a huge success for BBC One, so much so that the series has already been renewed for a third and fourth season before the second has even aired.
Blue Lights season 2 is set to premiere in spring 2024. Season 1 is available to watch in full on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.
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Authors
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
