Honey Wright (Chelsee Healey)

[Perdita]

Chelsee Healey has joined the cast of Casualty.

The former Waterloo Road star begins filming her new role in Wales this week as a recurring character.
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Tesco Mum of the Year Awards: Chelsee Healey
© Yui Mok/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Healey will play Honey Wright, the emergency department's new tea lady in the upcoming series.

Honey is billed as having "big hair and a big personality", and regularly gives tarot readings and aura interpretations to staff and patients.

She is also said to have a big secret upon her arrival.

The Strictly Come Dancing finalist will make her debut in episode six of series 29, which screens in October.

The episode will also feature the return of Michael Stevenson as paramedic Iain Dean.

Executive Producer Oliver Kent said: "I'm delighted that Chelsee has agreed to bring her unique combination of bounce and style to the Emergency Department.

"Honey Wright is like no other character we've ever featured in Casualty and I can't wait for the audience to see her and her tea trolley in action."

[Perdita]

Casualty's new recruit Chelsee Healey has revealed that she was originally lined up to play a nurse on the show.

The former Waterloo Road actress has landed the role of barista Honey Wright on the BBC One medical drama and makes her first appearance in this Saturday's episode.
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Chelsee Healey as Honey Wright in Casualty
© BBC / Warren Orchard
Chelsee Healey as Honey Wright

Speaking about the part, Healey told Inside Soap: "I've been away from acting for a year and a half, so it's really great to get back into it. It was quite a long process - Casualty contacted my agent and said they were interested in me, and I was in talks for quite a few months before it was all confirmed.

"I've been on set since May, but I'm actually still living in Manchester at the moment, so I've been going back and forth for months."

She continued: "The original plan was for me to come in as a nurse, but I did a screen test and didn't know what half the medical terminology meant - and when you don't understand it, it's hard to act out. It would have been nice to play a nurse, but I'm happy to be a tea lady. I'm just learning as I go along!"

Discussing longer-term plots, Healey also promised that there is a romance storyline on the way for Honey and Ethan Hardy (George Rainsford).
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George Rainsford as Ethan Hardy in Casualty
© BBC / Warren Orchard
George Rainsford as Ethan Hardy

She said: "She gets on really well with Ethan and they form a nice bond. They're total opposites but really fancy each other, which is cute. That won't play out on screen for a while, but it's something to watch out for."