@TheSusanGeorge I finally found the photo of Simon’s first week on Casualty. He was such a joy to be around
Adrian Grove

In 2004 he presented a series on the area of the West he fell in love with – Exmoor.

He and his wife owned over 50 horses at their Arabian stud farm in the heart of the national park.

When the call came, asking if he was available to narrate Exmoor Encounters, he jumped at the chance.

He said at the time: “I’ve done a lot of voiceovers but this one is special to me because it’s about an area in which I live – and love.

Full article: http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/Casualty-actor-West-s-best-known-stars/story-11319444-detail/story.html

IN AN INSPIRING AND FRANK INTERVIEW

SIMON MACCORKINDALE AND SUSAN GEORGE

TELL WHY THEY ARE FOCUSING ON THE POSITIVE AS THEY TACKLE HIS ILLNESS TOGETHER

‘Simon is not dying of cancer – he’s living with it, That’s really important’

Actor Simon MacCorkindale is looking a picture of health, riding his quad bike across the Exmoor farm he shares with his actress wife Susan George. His rosy cheeks and positive energy make the knowledge that he is battling cancer all the harder to comprehend.

It was only last month that former Casualty star Simon, 57, revealed the secret he’d been harbouring for three and a half years. During that time, he’d thrown himself into a grueling work schedule. A schedule he now admits was ridiculous given that, when not filming the BBC medical drama, he was undergoing surgery for bowel cancer.

After that, he took on two national tours and the exacting role of Captain Georg Von Trapp in The Sound of Music in the West End, while quietly coping with the knowledge that the cancer had spread to his lungs.

But Simon is not the sort of character to sit and brood over what life throws at him.
Being told he may have only five years to live has made him all the more determined to confound the doctors’ prognosis.

“There’s not a single cancer that exists that someone hasn’t survived, so therefore nothing is incurable,” he says in his distinctive deep voice

“Never underestimate the power of the mind and spirit.”

This positive approach, coupled with homeopathic treatments and a macrobiotic diet has, he says, yielded significant results.

“I have rarely felt fitter or had more energy,” he says. But, right now, he has reduced his workload as he undergoes a six-month course of chemotherapy, a treatment that he believes will shrink the cancer and stop it spreading.

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TV SIMON: I’VE GOT FIVE YEARS TO LIVE

CASUALTY star Simon MacCorkindale has revealed he has terminal lung cancer.

The actor, 57, kept his plight secret for three years because he didn’t want people to feel sorry for him.

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Doctors Gave Me 5 Years to Live . . But I’ll Beat It

CASUALTY STAR SIMON TALKS MOVINGLY OF THREE YEAR BATTLE WITH CANCER

CASUALTY star Simon MacCorkindale today reveals his secret THREE YEAR battle against cancer—and tells how he aims to beat the disease.

Tenderly holding hands with actress wife Susan George, the TV heart-throb recalls how a REAL doctor working on the BBC hospital drama first spotted his symptoms early and urged him to get a check-up.

And despite being given only five years to live in May 2006, defiant Simon, 57, vows: “I’m going nowhere. I don’t think about a day when it comes to an end.

“It’s not happening. It’s just a bloody nuisance.

“I don’t want people to think I’m sitting here pale, losing weight and my hair and on the way out. I’m not. I’m as active as I’ve ever been.”

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Casualty’s Simon: I’ve got incurable cancer

When Simon MacCorkindale suddenly left TV’s Casualty no one suspected that he was keeping a tragic secret: he had cancer and had been given just five years to live. Now, in this raw and inspiring interview, he and his wife Susan George reveal their daily battle to be strong – and prove doctors wrong

FOR more than three years, he kept it a secret even from his closest friends. Former Casualty star Simon MacCorkindale, who played handsome consultant Harry Harper in the popular BBC series, told very few he was battling cancer.  Even after the disease had spread to his lungs and doctors gave him just five years to live, he and his wife, the iconic Seventies actress Susan George, decided they did not want everyone to know.

‘I didn’t want to make a fuss,’ says Simon. ‘We are very private people and wanted to deal with it on our own.’

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This interview was carried out with Simon on the 10th February at the London Palladium. There is a video message that was filmed at the same time and audio can be found on the forum – in Simon’s Secret Society. This is Simon in his own words (i.e. typed word for word what he said)

001 – What’s next
I really don’t know is the answer. I’m doing a couple of things, there are a number of things being talked about, but nothing that’s absolutely carved in granite. I’m gonna do another day on another movie, literally next week, for a friend, the same sort of set up as that other one, who’s title I think is the one you saw.

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Series: BBC Radio 5
First Aired: 11th September 2008

Description: Simon appeared to discuss The Sound of Music and Casualty

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Simon says, he’s a Casualty regular!

But not just on TV— in real life, accident-prone actor often finds himself in hospital

THERE’S a reason why Simon MacCorkindale carries off the role of consultant Harry Harper in BBC’s Casualty so well — he’s never out of his local hospital’s casualty department as a patient!

He and his wife, actress Susan George, run a very successful horse farm when not appearing on stage or screen, and Simon is very much hands-on down on the farm.

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From CAT scans to cat and mouse

Casualty star Simon MacCorkindale tells Alison Jones why he has packed away his stethoscope and returned to the stage.

It is always a challenge following in the footsteps of an actor who has become irrevocably associated with a part.

Particularly if that actor casts as long a shadow as the late Sir Laurence Olivier.

In the recent film remake of the thriller Sleuth, director Kenneth Branagh rather cleverly got round the problem by having Michael Caine swop roles.

In the 1972 Joseph L Mankiewicz version, Caine played Milo Tindle, the upstart young lover of Olivier’s wife who is unwillingly drawn into an elaborate battle of wits.

In 2007 it was Caine’s turn to play the vengeful, cuckolded husband (Andrew Wyke), with Jude Law repeating another Caine role after already starring in Alfie.

For the stage production currently doing the regional rounds, comparisons to Larry are avoided by the fact that Andrew, played by Simon MacCorkindale, has effectively been aged down and Milo, played by Michael Praed, aged up.

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SIMON LEAVES CASUALTY TO TAKE ON OLIVIER’S KEY ROLE

One of television’s best-loved doctors has marched out of accident and emergency and into a stage play that has become a modern classic.Simon MacCorkindale, whose character Harry Harper left Casualty two episodes ago, takes the leading role of Andrew in Sleuth which comes to the Theatre Royal, Bath, next Monday.

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Harry’s Sacked!

The doctor is given his marching orders by hospital bosses…

There are tears all round this week when A&E stalwart Harry Harper bids farewell to his colleagues. After deciding to leak Ruth’s diary to the press, the senior consultant is forced to leave the ward.

‘Harry believes that Ruth’s diary highlights the pressure doctors are under,’ says Simon MacCorkindale, who’s played the doc for six years. ‘But he put his career on the line and he knows he has to go.’ After an emotional goodbye, he visits his old pal Charlie at a private clinic and asks him to return to Holby.

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Doctor On The Move

After six years as consultant Harry Harper, Simon MacCorkindale tells us why he’s after a new challenge

Simon MacCorkindale is very happy with the storyline that sees him leave his role Casualty this week.

There are all kinds of unpleasant ways I could have left,’ he says. ‘I could have been murdered by an ungrateful patient, for instance! So I’m delighted to be leaving with Harry’s dignity intact, via the moral high ground! And I’m glad to be leaving on a story that might make people think.’

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Harry Harper works his last Casualty shift this week when he leaves after exposing troubled colleague Ruth’s diary to the press, Simon MacCorkindale, who plays him, is delighted Harry isn’t departing on a stretcher! “Often in these shows, characters get blown up, shot or stabbed to death,” smiles Simon, 56. “Doctors do take great risks, but few get shot or stabbed!”

Harry’s Last Hurrah

The consultant hangs up his stethoscope…

Holby A&E manager Harry Harper bids farewell to the hospital this week – but the top doctor doesn’t leave his post willingly! Harry put his job on the line recently by choosing to leak the emotional diary of suicidal trainee medic Ruth Winters to the press, and now he must face the consequences…

“Harry feels very strongly that junior doctors are being put under too much pressure,” explains Simon MacCorkindale, who plays the department head. “He thinks Ruth should be used as an example of what can happen when they’re pushed too far, and wants to make everyone aware of the issue. His superiors aren’t happy with his actions, though, and force him to resign.”

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Farewell Harry

Having handed Ruth’s diary to the press, Harry prepares to hang up his stethoscope

This week, as Ruth lies in a coma, the truth behind the juniors doctor’s suicide attempt is all over the papers. By leaking her diary, Harry has plunged Holby City into the media spotlight, forfeiting his future as a senior consultant.

‘Harry feels it’s in the best interest of all young doctors for Ruth’s diary to be printed,’ says actor Simon MacCorkindale. ‘It’ll make the public and the NHS fully aware of all the pressure.’

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Series: Casualty
Episode: S22Ep – Thicker Than Water
First Aired: 8 March 2008
Character: Harry Harper

Description: Harry faces the consequences of leaking Ruth’s diary to the press, while a surprised Toby witnesses Ruth stir from her coma.

This was Simon’s last appearance as Harry Harper

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Bye, Bye Harry

Consultant Harry Harper was shocked by the breakdown of poor Ruth – who was so overworked she attempted suicide.  ‘He decides to publish her diary to heighten awareness of the plight of these doctors says actor Simon MacCorkindale, who this week plays his final scenes as Harry, with the dashing doc in trouble for airing the hospital’s dirty laundry in public.

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Series: Casualty
Episode: S22Ep27 – Silent All These Years
First Aired: 1 March 2008
Character: Harry Harper

Description: New technician Curtis starts, and Harry makes the decision to release Ruth’s diary to the press and reveal what really happened.

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Series: Casualty
Episode: S22Ep26 – Say Say My Playmate
First Aired: 16 February 2008
Character: Harry Harper

Description: Snezana joins the paramedic team and impresses everyone as she helps Toby deliver Joanne’s baby in a pub.

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This interview was carried out with Simon on the 13th February 2008 at the Beck Theater in Hayes. Audio can be found on the forum as well as a video message from Simon filmed at the same time. This is Simon in his own words (i.e. typed word for word what he said)

We also got Simon to answer the forum’s ‘Meet a Member’ questions which can be found here

001 – From Clare: How have you family (Susan included) influenced your career?
Well I think mostly through their absolute continued unquestioning support for whatever I embark upon. Susan particularly is a very good springboard for various choices that I have made so I do share all the choices that I make. I think that my mum and dad particularly, it was about the honesty of what one was trying to do, and the respect for the audience. Very early on my father taught me about respect for the audience. I’m not sure I was ever really gonna go down in a daft way with it but certainly that I think has been a very important part in how I deal with the public. I’m always giving the time for other people even within a busy schedule.

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Series: Casualty
Episode: S22Ep25 – Sex and Death
First Aired: 9 February 2008
Character: Harry Harper

Description: We relive events leading to Ruth’s suicide as Harry reads her diary.

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Series: Casualty
Episode: S22Ep24 – Before a Fall
First Aired: 2 February 2008
Character: Harry Harper

Description: When Ruth makes a mistake and the team find out, she decides she can’t take any more. Toby and Abs are shocked by what they find when they go to her house

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Thriller tour

Busy Simon MacCorkindale chats to Viv Hardwick about leaving BBC1 ‘s Casualty, taking on a stage tour and finding time to breed expensive Arabian horses

YES sighs Simon MacCorkindale with mock irony, “I have gone down in history as the man who sacked Charlie Fairhead in Casualty.” The plot of the Christmas episode of the BBC1 drama made the right kind of headlines for the programme as actor Derek Thompson became the last member of the original cast to leave after 21 years.

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Series: Casualty
Episode: S22Ep23 – Where’s the Art in Heartache?
First Aired: 26 January 2008
Character: Harry Harper

Description: Greg deals with a traumatic case which will change his life forever, and Ruth feels even more isolated from the rest of the gang.

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