Kellie Shirley was one of the newcomers introduced in Casualty’s Storm Damage and her character caused a stir among fans as they remembered her past as Carly Wicks on EastEnders.

Casualty viewers went wild when EastEnders’ Kellie Shirley took on a new role in soapland more than a decade after leaving Albert Square.

The actress made her debut in the medical drama during the first instalment of its miniseries, Storm Damage, which aired on Saturday, June 15, 2024. She featured in the instalment alongside fellow newcomer Ryan Hawley, another name who shot to fame by starring as Robert Sugden in Emmerdale.

Kellie Shirley has taken on the role of feisty psychiatric liaison nurse Sophia Peters after embarking on a short stint in the rival show Doctors, which has since been axed. But while she may have become the talk of social media as her character finds her mark in Holby City Hospital, many fans remembered Kellie for her long stint in EastEnders, where she gained recognition as Carly Wicks.

Casualty’s Kellie Shirley has revealed what could bring her back to EastEnders and it has a link with Shirley Carter actress Linda Henry (Image: BBC/Kieron McCarron)
The sister of Walford villain Dean Wicks, Carly was first introduced to viewers of the London-based drama in 2006 when she settled in her adoptive father Kevin’s home following her split from husband Nico Pappas.

Carly then went on to be reunited with her estranged mother Shirley and the pair have shared a complex relationship throughout the years. After an explosive relationship with Sean Slater – who was actually pining over Tanya Branning behind her back – Carly was rattled to the point of leaving Albert Square when Kevin passed away in 2008.

She then briefly returned four years later when she hears that Shirley has been struggling to cope and heavily drinking after Heather Trott’s murder. At the time, Carly had just given birth to a son named Jimmy, whom she eventually introduced to Shirley before the pair made amends and left Walford together.

Carly hasn’t been seen in the Square since her last appearance in 2012 but plenty of on-screen mentions have been made since her exit. In 2020, it was revealed that her issues with Shirley were far from resolved. Two years later, however, Carly put their differences to rest again as Shirley decided to stay with her in the wake of Mick Carter’s disappearance.

While her Casualty alter ego could become more prominent as chemistry is palpable between Sophia Peters and Dylan Keogh, Kellie Shirley has revealed that one reason may be enough motivation for her to return to EastEnders.

“I dip in and out of watching it. I’m very grateful for the time there. It was 18 years ago when I started”, she recently told Metro.co.uk. “I’ve done lots of things since then, it’s opened up lots of lovely doors for me. I loved playing Carly and there’s always unfinished business. If I got to work with Linda Henry again that would be a no-brainer, if it was the right storyline too.”

The Shirley Carter actress is expected to return to the soap herself since her emotional 2022 exit as her son Dean Wicks was thrown behind bars, accused of Keanu Taylor’s murder, but no date has been set for her comeback.