Harry Harper | |||||||
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Casualty character | |||||||
Portrayed by | Simon MacCorkindale | ||||||
Duration | 2002–2008 | ||||||
First appearance | 8 June 2002 | ||||||
Last appearance | 8 March 2008 | ||||||
Introduced by | Mervyn Watson | ||||||
Spin-off appearances |
Casualty@Holby City (2004, 2005) | ||||||
Classification | Former; regular | ||||||
Profile | |||||||
Occupation | Director of Emergency Medicine & Senior Consultant (2002-08) Member of Parliament (2008) |
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Wife | Beth Harper (until 2003) |
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Sons | Jordan Harper Ollie Harper |
Daughters |
Tally Harper Kizzy Harper Daisy Harper |
Harry Harper is a fictional character from the BBC One medical drama Casualty, portrayed by actor Simon MacCorkindale. He made his first appearance in the series sixteen episode "Denial", broadcast on 8 June 2002. He ran Holby City Hospital's emergency department for five years, before being elected as a Member of Parliament. His final appearance was in the series twenty-two episode "Thicker Than Water", broadcast on 8 March 2008. MacCorkindale was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2006, and departed from Casualty after the disease spread to his lungs. He died on 14 October 2010, at the age of 58.
Harry begins working at Holby City Hospital in June 2002. He is pleased when his old flame Selena Donovan (Liz Carling) arrives to carry out a drugs trial in the department, and invites her to dinner. He cancels a driving lesson with his teenage daughter Tally (Ashlie Walker), who asks her mother Beth (Lynda Rooke) to take her instead. They crash, and Beth is fatally injured. Harry blames Tally for the accident and develops an anti-depressant dependency, forging senior house officer Lara Stone's (Christine Stephen-Daly) signature to prescribe himself drugs.
Harry clashes with registrar Simon Kaminski (Christopher Colquhoun) over his temperament, suspending him from work. In revenge, Simon begins sleeping with Tally (Holly Davidson). He learns that Harry has been self-prescribing and attempts to blackmail him. Lara notices the strained atmosphere between them, and Harry confides in her that he needs help, accepting her support. He misinterprets Lara's kindness, however, and tells her he is in love with her. His feelings go un-reciprocated, and Harry is angry when Lara sleeps with paramedic Luke Warren. On an outdoor pursuit day for management training, Harry leaves the marked route and becomes trapped in a cave. Simon rescues him, incurring a spinal injury in the process.