Casualty star Anna Chell has exclusively spoken to Inside Soap about a potential return for Jodie Whyte’s estranged dad, Max Cristie.
It’s been an eventful couple of years for nurse Jodie since she joined Holby City’s ED back in 2023. From working alongside Max (and giving him her kidney), to confronting her past and her mum’s devastating death, it’s certainly been a bumpy ride.
But for actor Anna, her character’s turbulent journey in the iconic BBC medical drama has been nothing but a joy to play out.
“Two and a half years have gone by so quickly!” she smiles. “I walk into work every day and I love it. It still feels new because every storyline is different. It’s the same set and I’m still playing Jodie, but it’s a different version of Jodie.
“Whether she’s on a roll and being a really good nurse or going through a breakup and arguing with her friends, it’s fresh and a new energy that I get to explore.”
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Last year, Jodie took centre stage for Casualty’s boxset, Public Property, which saw the young nurse put Dylan Keogh’s career at risk.
“The audience saw Jodie make mistakes and they didn’t like it,” Anna explains. “Especially as she put Dylan in danger – which is sweet, as he’s such a loved character! It wasn’t until the end of the boxset, with the flashback episode, when the audience finally came round to her.
“We wanted them to go with Jodie on that journey, so it was a good response in the end. Regardless, it means that viewers are invested in the character and story.”
As things stand, Jodie hasn’t been in touch with Nigel Harman’s Max since he waved goodbye in March last year. But could there be any chance of a reunion between the father and daughter?
BBC
“I think Max is still going in South Sudan, so who knows when he’s going to come back?” ponders Anna. “You’d think he’d want to come back and see his daughter, wouldn’t you?
“In Public Property, as well as figuring out who she was, she was also grieving that past with Max. Maybe one day when she’s older, she might contact him to ask these questions about why he left – but not yet…”
