Holby City Joe McFadden return
TV

Holby City return for Joe McFadden – three years after Raf Di Lucca’s death!

Joe left the show in 2017

Former Holby City favourite Joe McFadden is set to return as Dr. Raf Di Lucca in a special episode of the medical drama.

Raf was of course killed off back in 2017 after being shot.

But he will make a one-off appearance in an episode that will air later this month.

Joe McFadden Holby City
Joe McFadden left Holby City in 2017 (Credit: BBC)

Read more: Joe McFadden thanks fans for support following tragic Holby City exit

How does Joe McFadden return to Holby City?

It won’t be a Dallas-style return from the grave though. He will ‘appear’ to his widow Essie, as she struggles to deal with her cancer diagnosis.

Earlier this year, Essie discovered that her cancer had returned. And she has recently learned that her chemo treatment isn’t effective.

As she tries to come to terms with what’s happening to her, her late husband appears.

Actor Joe has said of his return: “I’ll always look back on my four years on Holby with such fondness. It was one of the happiest jobs I’ve done.

“And it was a real pleasure to get to wear Raf’s scrubs one last time in order to offer his wife Essie some guidance in such a touching episode.”

holby city love triangle essie kisses sacha
Essie has really been struggling with her diagnosis despite Sacha’s support (Credit: BBC)

Joe McFadden’s Holby ghost

Last year, Joe revealed that he would like to return to the popular BBC show as a ghost!

The 44-year-old actor told Inside Soap magazine: “I pitched it to the producer that Raf could appear as a ghost and give Essie some advice, but he wasn’t having it!

“I’m happy being a good memory and Raf’s memorial was blessed by Reverend Richard Coles. He blessed it in real life as well – so I really feel as if I’m dead now!”

Speaking about Raf being killed off , Joe said: “It would have been nice to have that safety net, and perhaps I would have gone back, but I’m a great believer in closing doors firmly.

“When it was decided that my character was being killed, there was a part of me that felt relieved about it.”

Raf was shot by Fredrik Johansson, son of the CEO of Holby City Hospital.

Holby City joe McFadden death
Raf died after being shot (Credit: BBC)

He was left to bleed to death as none of his colleagues noticed he was missing while they dealt with another attack on Jac Naylor.

Read more: Joe McFadden on quitting Holby after Strictly

Joe went on to win Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 with pro partner Katya Jones.

Are you excited to see Joe back as Raf? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think of this story.


Kaggie Hyland
Editor-in-Chief