Major Casualty death confirmed in 40th anniversary as star breaks silence
Actress Kellie Shirley discusses her character Sophia Peters' dramatic exit from the medical drama Casualty during its 40th-anniversary special. The character was killed off in a hospital explosion, marking a significant emotional turning point for her on-screen partner, Dylan Keogh.
Why it matters
The death of a long-running character in a major anniversary episode is a significant event for the show's fanbase and narrative continuity.
Sophia was caught up in the massive explosion at St James (Picture: ITV)
Casualty’s Kellie Shirley has shared her reaction to learning that her character Sophia Peters was going to be killed off in the medical drama’s 40th anniversary episodes.
Sophia was introduced to us in 2024 as a psychiatric liaison nurse. She ended up developing a relationship with Dylan Keogh (William Beck) throughout that year and into 2025.
Things definitely didn’t go as smoothly as the two characters hoped. In the end, Sophia departed Holby ED in February 2025 for a new job at neighbouring hospital St James’, ultimately ending her romance journey with Dylan.
Sophia made a very unexpected return in tonight’s anniversary specials, and the ordeal she went through had a massive impact on ex Dylan.
After the explosion at St James’ Hospital, Dylan was tasked with leading his team through the chaos.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in