Casualty icon Derek Thompson made a very rare public appearance with his co-stars after quitting the show.

Back in March, Derek’s character Charlie Fairhead left Holby ED after 37 years.

In an exit storyline that spanned over two episodes, Charlie’s life was put in jeopardy after being stabbed by a patient.

The 76-year-old has now moved onto new projects and recently took part in a meet and greet at the launch of the London Film Fair.

There he was joined by his former Casualty costar Lisa Bowerman, who starred alongside Derek in the late 80s.

During his final soap scenes, Charlie’s friends looked after him in resus, we were treated to flashback scenes of the beloved character working as a nurse early on in his career.

Back in the hospital, after Charlie recovered, he told Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) that he was going to retire.

Joined by old friend Josh (Ian Bleasdale), Charlie got into a brand new yellow beetle and left the hospital, ready to travel to Cyprus to find his son Louis.

Opening up about working on the show for such a long time, actor Derek Thompson recently told Good Morning Britain hosts Susanna Reid and Ed Balls:

‘It had a momentum, a theatrical momentum that kept it alive. Rather like your old job in parliament. There are no two days alike. There is never a dull day. You never know what’s going to happen. The regulars were invited into viewers’ home as friends. You can make minor adjustments, but the actor has to police the characters.’