One such voice belongs to Casualty alum Sunetra Sarker, the beloved actress who embodied the brilliant and bold Dr. Zoe Hanna. For nearly a decade, she stood shoulder to shoulder with Derek on-screen, navigating emotional surgeries, moral dilemmas, and the invisible weight of saving lives that only fictional doctors truly understand. And now, years after her own graceful exit from the series, Sunetra has spoken publicly—her words carrying the weight of both admiration and heartbreak.

“He deserved more,” she said. Not as a whisper. Not as a passing remark. But as a resounding cry into the abyss of forgotten recognition.

More. That word, so small yet so heavy, lands like a scalpel to the chest.

Derek Thompson was not just a part of Casualty—he was Casualty. From the show’s earliest chaotic episodes to its contemporary crises, he remained a steady, comforting presence. The kind of man whose eyes held empathy even when words failed. The kind of nurse who never needed to raise his voice to command a room, to soothe a patient, or to defuse a ticking time bomb of emotion.

For thirty-seven years, he gave himself to that role, to that institution. His departure in 2023 was met with tributes and headlines, yes. But for those who knew him, worked beside him, and understood the soul he poured into every scene, it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough.

Sunetra, now 51, still carries those years with her—etched into her career, her memories, her heart. She first stepped into Holby City Hospital in 2007, bright-eyed and sharp-tongued as Zoe Hanna, a doctor whose brilliance was rivaled only by her complexity. She departed in 2016, leaving behind more than just a character—she left behind a part of herself, a part that still stirs when names like Charlie Fairhead are spoken.

And in 2018, when she made her brief but meaningful return, it was as if no time had passed. The hospital halls felt familiar. And Derek? He hadn’t changed. Still the same pillar of calm. Still the man who held Holby together with nothing but compassion and a quiet smile.

That’s why her words sting with such poignancy.

“He deserved a lot more.” Not just applause. Not just a goodbye montage. But legacy. Reverence. A celebration equal to the gravity of his presence.

And yet, the world moves quickly. Too quickly. In an industry that devours new faces and forgets old ones, Derek Thompson’s departure was respectful… but subdued. Perhaps too subdued.

What do you give a man who has given nearly four decades of his life to one role? Who showed up through changing cast members, shifting scripts, and evolving narratives? Who never once stepped back, even when the limelight dimmed or the stories focused elsewhere?

According to Sunetra, the answer is simple: you give him everything.

You honor him with more than words. You canonize him in the history of British television. You ensure that his departure leaves a crater—not just a ripple.

Because men like Derek Thompson don’t come around often. They are the spine of long-running dramas, the quiet giants who lift up the younger actors, who breathe depth into every scene simply by being there. And when they finally take their final bow, it should shake the foundations of the very world they helped build.