Nigel Harman is joining the cast of Casualty.
The actor, 49, will play Max Cristie, Holby ED's new clinical lead, in the BBC medical drama, described as a 'lovable rogue who lives by his own rules'.
While everyone wants to be treated by him, not all the staff will be happy to see the new addition, notably current clinical lead Dylan (played by Will Beck) who is less than pleased to be reacquainted with a face from the past.
It's clear from the offset that the pair have unresolved history, which we soon discover goes all the way back to medical school.
There's no time for pleasantries in this job though and Max soon finds himself in the thick of the action on his first shift - it's life and death stakes from the offset.
Exciting: Nigel Harman has joined the cast of Casualty. The ex Downton Abbey star will play a 'lovable rogue' clinical lead in the BBC drama
Viewers will see Nigel on screen as Max later this month, and it's safe to say he'll be making a big impact on the hospital.
The former Downton Abbey star said of his new role: 'I'm honoured and grateful to be joining the cast of Casualty. Many pals have donned the famous scrubs over the years and had a ball, so for me it was an easy decision.
'With Max the viewers can expect a character who leads with his heart and not always his head. Never afraid to get in a scrape or two, yet loyal to the end even if it means putting himself in danger.'
Jon Sen, Executive Producer for BBC Studios said: 'We are thrilled to be welcoming Nigel to the cast of Casualty.
'When we conceived the character of Max we knew we needed an actor with craft, charm and charisma and we approached Nigel knowing he'd be the perfect choice.
'We were over the moon when he agreed to play the role and from what we've seen so far, Nigel's creating an iconic character who is set to stir things up within the Emergency Department. We can't wait for the audience to meet Max.'
Casualty, the world's longest running primetime medical drama, is a BBC Studios Continuing Drama production for BBC One and iPlayer and continues on Saturdays.
The Executive Producer for BBC Studios is Jon Sen, and the Series Producer is Liza Mellody. Rebecca Ferguson is the Commissioning Editor for the BBC.
Ouch: While everyone wants to be treated by him, not all the staff will be happy to see the new addition, notably current clinical lead Dylan (played by Will Beck)
