Casualty newcomer issues one-word reply about Charlie Fairhead exit storyline

Casualty's Adesuwa Oni who plays Ngozi Okoye admitted it was an "honour" to join the show in the build up to the exit of Charlie Fairhead. The actress is at the centre of the drama in today's (April 26) episode when she confides in Siobhan McKenzie (Melanie Hill) about finding a camera. With the department on tenterhooks over a Whistleblower, she later fears her job is on the line.

It is just the latest huge story for the Nigerian-born actress who joined the long-running BBC medical drama in January. However, unlike most arrivals, she almost entered by stealth. Her character arrived without much fanfare when she was introduced as an exchange nurse from Nigeria.

Almost immediately she found herself being defended by Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) after a patient was racist towards her. This was just weeks before the legendary character's exit and speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, she described it as an "honour".

"I would say it was very big, but honestly, I actually think I'm very grateful that that's how I came in because it meant I could see how the wheels turned in the machine quite well. And also just being there for the transition of Charlie I think is such a historical moment in TV that I feel very honored to be that," she said chatting over Zoom.

"I think for me, I like being thrown into the middle of something by nature, as a human being anyway, so having to have that kind of quick transition into everybody's life (on the show) just felt really right for me. It was nice. It was a nice way to kind of jump into it," she smiled.

"I'm so lucky to have come into the show with Charlie, Derek, like his transition," the star, who was previously seen in the Emmy-nominated Netflix African Queens: Njinga, said.

"I got the sort of mentorship from people like himself and like Elinor Lawless just kind of give me an understanding of what the show can be for them and for me.

"And then also just like, the advice of people like Sarah Seggari (Rida Amaan) and Barney (Walsh who plays Cam Mickelthwaite) and Anna Chell (Jodi Whyte).

"So for me, it felt like, 'Okay, cool'. It's nice to be supporting all these storylines, it's nice to be considered able enough to be trusted with the storylines almost immediately so yeah, it for me it was a good thing."

While fans of the show are still getting to know the character, one of the first bombshells dropped about her background was that she has left her son in Nigeria while she works in the UK. Given that many parents have to leave their children and family to move somewhere for work, it is not surprising that the storyline has resonated.

"I've had a few people message and comment and thanking me for taking that storyline aboard and some others told me that it really does resonate with them in terms of their experiences. And to be honest, I think it is a storyline that's very important to shed some light on because it happens far more often than we realise and it is important.

"But I do think that there's so much more coming in terms of the storyline with her son that I don't know. We just had a bit of a taster of it, to be honest, and kind of just dipped our toe in.. like dusted it in cinnamon and just shook it off a little bit. But we're gonna get into it in a few episodes. So it'll be more there'll be more to to it," she teased.

"But I'm just grateful to get the opportunity to represent something that I've seen happen more often than I can count because I was born in Nigeria. So I do understand that from that perspective."

Casualty is on BBC One on Saturday nights and previous episodes are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.