Hollyoaks has cast former Casualty star Cathy Shipton in the role of Luke Morgan's grieving relative, Digital Spy can exclusively reveal.

Cathy is known for her long-running stint as Duffy in the BBC medical drama, having played her intermittently for three decades.

Having bowed out of the role for good in 2020, Cathy will be taking on the part of Lydia ? the wife of Luke and Zara's deceased uncle in Hollyoaks.

Luke and Zara will be left devastated in upcoming scenes when they hear that their uncle has passed away from FTD ? the same condition that Luke has.

Viewers know that Luke was diagnosed with FTD Pick's disease, also known as frontotemporal dementia, nearly two years ago, which is characterised by rapid progression.

Recent scenes have seen Cindy grow increasingly concerned that Luke's condition is getting worse.

As her worries intensify, Lydia will turn up in the village to give Cindy some advice on how to support a partner living with the disease.

Casualty fans will know that Duffy passed away from dementia early last year, bringing a tear-jerking end to her iconic stint on the show.

Speaking to Digital Spy at the time, she said: "There was a movement between the show to take on long lead stories ? stories that last longer than one episode or a month.

"These stories were going to play out over a long period of time, like Iain's depression story. They approached me and asked what I thought. I hadn't said this to them but I already knew when I went back four years ago that I wouldn't want to stay forever.

"That married with this and I knew I'd want to see the story through. They planned it out over the last two years so, in a way, it was a mutual thing."


Digital Spy