Connie's Story Is Close To My Heart

Amanda Mealing on why Connie’s cancer storyline is so important to her…

- Elaine Reilly

DRAMA

Casualty

SATURDAY / BBC1 / 9.10PM

There are powerful scenes in Casualty this week as Connie Beauchamp takes a pair of scissors to her hair and starts cutting.

The Holby ED clinical lead is secretly having chemotherapy but it’s beginning to hit home that she can’t keep up her pretence of normality for much longer.

If you’re an avid Casualty fan, chances are that you know already that Amanda Mealing, who plays Connie, is a cancer survivor in real life.

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002 shortly after the birth of her second son, Amanda went on to have a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. So, understandably, Connie’s crisis isn’t just another storyline for the actress…

These days Amanda – unlike her character – is open about her ordeal, in the hope it helps others. She’s also an ambassador for Breast Cancer Care.