EXCLUSIVE: Casualty’s Derek Thompson played Charlie Fairhead for 38 years before departing the show last week.

Casualty newcomer Manpreet Bachu has recalled a touching encounter with Derek Thompson as he departed the show. The star had played nurse Charlie Fairhead for 38 years before hanging up his scrubs in last Saturday’s episode (March 16).

Manpreet recently joined the cast as Rash Masum’s (Neet Mohan) cousin Tariq Hussein and was speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk ahead of his proper introduction to the show in this week’s episodes (March 23)

Although he briefly appeared in scenes a few weeks ago at the funeral of Rash’s father, this will be the first time viewers will see him in action in the ED. During filming for the funeral scenes, the star revealed he had his first interaction with the legendary Charlie Fairhead actor.

“I didn’t have any scenes with him but when I was on set I saw him playing guitar outside his dressing room and I said, ‘Hi’ and he said, ‘Hi’ back to me,” he recalled. But then I was at a screening, we had of his final episode and obviously he was there. And it was such a wonderful thing and at the drinks afterward, I went up to him.”

“I wasn’t sure if he’d remember me from that one moment but he did. And I got to chat with him and it was great. And of course, I got a picture with him because he is a legend,” he laughed.

Manpreet Bachu has joined the cast of Casualty as Rash Masum’s cousin Tariq Hussein (Image: BBC)

Manpreet’s casting was recently announced, although he had been filming for several months at that stage.

However, he admits to finding some of the fan reactions a bit bizarre. “It was unreal. Overall it was really, really positive and people were excited about it,” he said.

“But I did look online and a few people were saying, ‘Why can’t you just bring Holby City characters back?’ This is why you don’t read the comments,” he chuckled.

Although he has been in several huge shows such as The Royals and Killing Eve, the 30-year-old actor confessed the Casualty schedule took a bit of getting used to.

Manpreet Bachu plays Tariq Hussein who is the cousin of Rash Masum in Casualty (Image: BBC)

“I think I’ve finally got my head around it,” he pondered. “It’s such a big machine. It runs like clockwork.

“It does take a bit of getting used to. It’s not like anything I’ve worked on and you’re shooting two episodes back-to-back.

“But it is such an iconic show. When you think of big British TV series you think EastEnders, Coronation Street, Casualty.

“They’re the ones I think if. It’s such a legendary show and it is so part of the culture and it’s brilliant to be a part of it.”