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Horror on Casualty set when much-loved man tumbled to his death working on BBC series

Casualty has been running for nearly four decades – but the medical drama has also seen off-screen tragedy, including the sad death of a man working behind the scenes, 27 years ago

Actor Simon MacCorkindale joined the cast in 2002 and played the character of Dr Harry Harper for seven years, but sadly died aged 58 after a four-year battle with cancer. As he reached the top, a timber pressure spread-plate under one of the gantry's supporting legs split, toppling the machine and sending him to his death, Construction News reported at the time. Derek Thompson, who played Charlie Fairhead, quit the show after nearly four decades (Image: BBC Pictures)Raymond Judd of the Health and Safety Executive said that the ground was too soft to bear the weight of the platform.

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