Three ex-'Enders to guest in 'Casualty'

Three former EastEnders actors are to make guest appearances in BBC flagship medical drama Casualty later this year.

Anita Dobson, Gillian Taylforth and Joel Beckett - who played Angie Watts, Kathy Mitchell and Jake Moon respectively - have each filmed a guest spot for episodes due to air between mid-June and early July.

Beckett, who played the now-presumed-dead Moon brother between 2004 and 2006, takes on the role of soon-to-be-father Jim, who plans to buy himself into fatherhood. As Jordan (Michael French) treats heavily pregnant teenager Kitty, Jim waits in anticipation with his partner Susan for 'their child' to be born.

However, serious complications with the birth render Kitty unable to have any more children, resulting in Jordan urging Kitty to rethink her decision to sell her baby to Jim and Susan. Beckett's episode, entitled 'Fight or Flight', was filmed at the beginning of last month and is scheduled to air on June 13.

Meanwhile, 53-year-old Taylforth - who also appeared as Sergeant Nikki Wright in ITV police drama The Bill until the end of last year - takes the lead role of Gina in an episode titled 'Parent Trap', which sees the mother of a splintered family attempting to regroup her fold. Taylforth's Casualty instalment is due to air on June 20.

EastEnders legend Anita Dobson (right), who played the role of Angie for three years between 1985 and 1988, filmed her guest appearance for the world's longest-running medical drama at the beginning of this month. She plays a psychic named Cora who attempts to contact a 15-year-old's dead mother. Dobson's as-yet untitled instalment is due to be broadcast on July 4.