In an unmissable emotional finale, this week’s Casualty will mark the departure of clinical lead Dylan Keogh, the brilliant, gruff, endlessly complex doctor who’s defined Holby’s soul for over a decade.
Titled “A Softer Side,” the episode promises to show Dylan not just as a doctor — but as a man saying goodbye on his own terms.
⚓ Houseboats, Dogs, and Loose Ends
As Dylan clears out his locker and begins preparing to leave Holby behind for a remote medical boat project, the memories start to flood back:
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Faith catches him feeding a stray dog outside and quips: “So you’re not a total grinch, then?”
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Rida leaves a post-it on his office door that reads: “For the record, you were always my favourite nightmare.”
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Iain avoids a proper goodbye — but slips Dylan a keyring with a dog tag: “Less sarcasm, more sunscreen.”
💬 A Farewell With No Fuss (Almost)
Dylan insists on no party. No cake. No speeches.
But Siobhan corners him in the stairwell and delivers one anyway:
Siobhan:
“You didn’t hug people. You didn’t flatter anyone.
But you showed up, every time.
And we were all safer for it.”
😢 Final Scene: A Quiet Exit
Dylan walks out past the ambulance bay. He pauses briefly, looks back once, and gives the smallest, almost imperceptible nod. Then he steps into a cab with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder.
The camera lingers on an empty corridor.
A cup of tea grows cold on the desk.
🔮 What’s Next?
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Dylan is headed to a floating remote medical clinic — no wifi, no phones, just medicine.
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Faith receives a letter weeks later, handwritten, about how “the silence isn’t so bad after all.”
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There’s talk he may return in a guest arc down the line — especially if Holby finds itself in another crisis.
📺 When to Watch
🗓 Casualty: “A Softer Side” — Saturday, September 6 at 8:20 PM on BBC One
💻 Early stream from 6 AM on BBC iPlayer
🗣️ Fan Reactions Already Pouring In
“If Dylan doesn’t come back at Christmas I will riot.” – @HolbySarcasm
“No hugs. No speeches. But a million broken hearts.” – @EDWhispers
“Dylan Keogh is the blueprint for emotionally repressed TV excellence.” – @CasualtyNation