Appearence
S6 E35 ‘In at the Deep End’ – S13 E11 ‘Snow Queens’; S16 E42 ‘One Small Step’; S17 E4 ‘Chaos in Her Wings’; S18 E47 ‘Protect and Serve’
Job Title
Cardio-Thoracic Surgeon
First Words
I need to listen to your chest to find out what’s going on, okay?
Background
For Casualty Appearance click here
Connie is a super-confident, ballbreaker with an appetite for life. She takes no nonsense and is keen to make sure everyone knows she is boss. Although she has sometimes shown a sensitive side, when it comes to men she uses her charm and persuasion to get them where she wants them.
Connie arrives on Darwin in S6 E35. Dressed in a sharp designer suit and high heels, she quickly turns heads. Will is not so easily impressed by her looks and they clash. But when he reluctantly comes to terms with the fact that he has a female boss, he apologises for his behaviour, and Connie agrees to give him a second chance. Unlike Will, Ric is very impressed with Connie and spends most of the day flirting outrageously with her. His flirtation leads to a rendezvous in his office at the end of their shifts. Afterwards, Connie takes great delight in telling Ric that she is also the new medical director, in effect his boss. Ric is taken aback by the news but hopes that they are on the same side. In S6 E36, Ric assumes that something will happen with Connie after sleeping with her last episode. She says that they may have a repeat performance – if she has the time. Ric thinks he has met his match but Zubin warns he is out of his league. Will finds it difficult working under Connie’s direction. She puts him in his place when she does not agree with a judgement call that he makes. She sweeps his protests aside, saying she understands his need to assert himself but not at the expense of her patient. In S6 E38, tensions rise at Holby, as Will finds it increasingly difficult to work under Connie. After constantly berating and belittling him, she questions him about his privileged upbringing, letting him know that she got her position through hard work alone. Things come to a head in Connie’s office, when, instead of disciplining Will, she orders him to go out for a drink with her. Although he’s clearly uncomfortable with the situation, she’s enjoying the power game – especially when she discovers he’s a Lord. In S6 E39, Zubin and Mubbs lobby Connie to procure funds for their departments. Connie is receptive to Zubin’s requests, whilst Mubbs’s flirtatious tactics are less successful. Connie calls Mubbs into her office at the end of the day. She tells him to lock the door, taking control, and they have sex. Will is adamant that Connie’s charms will not work on him. He heads into her office, just as a sheepish-looking Mubbs is leaving. Connie, unfazed by Will witnessing her rendezvous with Mubbs, continues her attempts to seduce him, but Will declines again. In S6 E40, Connie and Zubin cross swords over a patient after Connie agrees to undertake her risky operation. Zubin is not sure about the feasibility of the operation and becomes cynical about Connie’s motives when he finds out the patient’s husband works for the hospital trust. The operation is unsuccessful, but when Zubin witnesses Connie’s distress, he apologises; their relationship remains intact and the patient’s husband still promises to put in a good word for Zubin’s department. Mubbs is initially given the cold shoulder by Connie, but after a traumatic day, she propositions him for sex and invites him to her place. In S6 E41, Diane’s childminder calls in sick, so she is forced to take baby Jack to work with her. Although Connie warms to Diane at first, she is angry when she discovers that Jack is being looked after by Chrissie on the ward. Connie warns Diane that she must choose between being a mother or having a career. Connie flirts with Mubbs in front of Rosie, leading to an argument between the couple. In S6 E43, Zubin tells Connie his plans for the hospital. In the departmental meeting, she outlines these ideas, claiming them as her own, and changes what they had agreed. She tells Zubin he will be heading the out-of-hours team and ignores his protests. They argue and Zubin warns Connie that he will not take this lying down. In S6 E45, Connie tells Will she has a file of patient complaints about his attitude and informs him that she will be observing his bedside manner throughout the day. Will fails the test dramatically when he assumes a patient is faking her condition and tries to send her home. When she collapses – she is, in fact, seriously ill – her husband threatens to lodge an official complaint with the Board. Will asks Connie to defend him but she refuses to commit herself. In S6 E46, it is the day of Will’s disciplinary hearing. He chooses to stay in ITU and save a patient’s life rather than attend. Connie is impressed when he explains this and she takes responsibility for his actions to the board. When he finds out he has been reprieved, a grateful Will offers to buy Connie lunch. However, she says she expects more than this from him. During the charity trolley dash, Jess leans forward to kiss Zubin but they are interrupted. Connie sees this and later intimates to Zubin that if he does not reconsider his aversion to the new working hours, she will spread gossip about Zubin and Jess. In S6 E48, it’s Ric’s 50th birthday. Connie orders Will to attend the party. After a few drinks, they flirt and she follows him into another room. Will kisses her passionately and Connie pushes him on to the bed in a steamy clinch. However, before things can go any further, she gets up, leaving Will confused. Connie reveals that she does not want him; she just wanted to prove he could not resist her. In S6 E50, Connie is keeping a close eye on Will and, when he makes a poor judgement call with a patient, she punishes him by sending him to a teaching class that night. Ric warns Connie that if she keeps criticising Will, he might quit. Connie tells him that Will has the potential to be an excellent surgeon but he needs to be disciplined. In S6 E51, Will has had only a few hours sleep after working late for Connie. It is his son’s birthday, but Connie pages him to come to work. She refuses to let him leave early and, in the evening, his wife turns up on the ward and shouts at him for missing his son’s party. Connie later reprimands Will, telling him to leave domestic issues at home.
To stir up trouble, in S7 E2, Connie reveals to Jess that Zubin is heading to Paris. In S7 E3, Will tries to rush through his patients so that he can get home to his wife and son, but when one of them dies after an operation, he has to stay behind to explain to the father what happened. Later, Connie finds Will sitting alone in the corridor and tells him that when he is at work, the hospital is his priority. In S7 E5, Will is despondent after losing a patient. He writes a letter of resignation but Connie rips it up. Connie admits that she has been playing games with him but says she was doing it so he could realise his potential. In S7 E6, Connie tells Will she is pleased he threw away his letter of resignation and that she is impressed with his improved bedside manner. She adds that she may have gone too far in the past and that that they make a good team. He accepts her apology. In S7 E8, a pregnant Rosie confronts Connie, and she reveals that her and Mubbs slept together. In S7 E9, Mubbs suggests he should tell Connie’s husband, too. Connie calls her husband on her mobile and hands the phone to Mubbs. Mubbs is shocked and says nothing. In S7 E10, Will tells Connie that he wants to become more of a team player and he will replace Zubin as Santa at the Christmas party. She thinks this is a fantastic idea and later gives him his costume. Will is shocked as Connie is dressed as a sexy Miss Santa and Will is her elf. In S19 E17/ S7 E11, Connie and Harry deal with hospital chaos after a fuel tanker crashes into the department. In S7 E12, Connie helps clear up after last episode’s explosion. She also has to deal with a complaint against Will from canteen staff. She asks him to apologise but he refuses. In S7 E13, Connie holds a meeting to try and resolve the canteen issue, after staff have gone on strike. Connie suspends Will and says he must keep a dignified silence from the press. In S7 E14, Connie and Will argue. Connie tells him if he wants to keep his job he must apologise to the striking canteen workers. Will apologises to the canteen staff and they call off the strike. They mock him because of the newspaper reports of his aristocratic title, as does Connie when he informs her he has ended the strike. In S7 E16, a Health Minister is visiting the hospital that day and Connie wants everything to run smoothly. Connie complains to Will that newly appointed matron Lisa is too ambitious and that she is going to mentoring Mickie, which doesn’t please Lisa. In S7 E17, Mickie shadows Connie for the day as part of Lisa’s mentoring scheme. Lisa and Connie clash when Lisa insists Mickie is not qualified to assist with a procedure. Connie ignores Lisa and allows Mickie to work with her. Mickie is impressed by Connie’s professionalism and develops a crush on her. At the end of the shift she asks Connie to go for a drink with her – Connie politely declines. In S7 E19, a negative piece has been printed in the paper about the incident in which Ric was tabbed in ITU. Connie tells Will she has liaised with the press office to give a positive interview in a paper – with Will. Connie later returns with the journalist and photographers, Zubin shouts at Connie about the working time directive in front of them. She takes the crew up to photograph Will whilst he is operating. He protests but she says that she has done her research – he won a medal in the army and thus will make a great interview subject.In S7 E20, Will is annoyed about the interview in the paper calling him a hero. He tells Connie that he asked the journalist to leave his military record out of the piece but Connie tells him she wanted it in. Later, the hospital systems are not working and Chrissie and Donna have had enough of Connie. Will stands up to Connie and says that she only bully’s him to hide her own inadequacies and cracks in her management style are now beginning to show. Just then, Mickie tries to ask Connie about a new mentoring session. Connie callously tells her if she cannot pick her moments better she is not mature enough to partake in the scheme. In S7 E23, Connie treats Mickie’s new girlfriend Jodie. It’s clear Will and Jodie know eachother from the past. Connie operates on Jodie and remarks that the scar tissue on Jodie’s back is terrible, the surgeon butchered her. Will becomes increasingly uncomfortable when Connie says that the injury looks more like a shrapnel wound. Connie is forced to remove Jodie’s lung. When she awakes and hears the news Jodie blames Will for ruining her life – again. In S7 E25, Connie battles to save Will after he has been knocked down by a car that Jodie was driving in the previous episode. Connie is distraught when they are unable to revive him. In S7 E26, it is the day of Will’s memorial service. Holby Chief Executive, Peter, tells Connie that it is important that there is no negative publicity surrounding Will’s death. Connie gives a reading about Will at the service. Will’s grieving wife Susan tells Connie to shut up and tell the truth. Susan claims that Connie made Will’s life a misery by bullying and harassing him. She also adds that his death is Connie’s fault – if she had not put his picture in the paper Jodie would never have tracked him down. She finishes her outburst by saying Will’s blood is on Connie’s hands. In S7 E27, Holby Chief Executive Peter calls an emergency meeting with Connie, in order to force her resignation. He tells her Zubin will be presenting a case against her to the board. Acting Chairman, Michael, heads the emergency meeting. Outside Connie manipulates Zubin by planting the seed that he should speak to Jess. He rushes off and does not stay for the meeting. Peter says he recommends Connie resign and that he is not happy that Zubin is not present. Michael puts the motion to a vote but he is out numbered and is forced to resign. As the others leave the boardroom Michael talks to his wife – Connie. In S7 E28, Connie reveals to Michael, the new Chairman of the board, that she sees the feuding between Ric and Zubin as an ideal chance to expand her department. in S7 E29, Connie holds an investigation after Dominic Fryer dies in theatre after a routing procedure. She says that the post-mortem has revealed that Dominic dies of anaesthetic overdose and she will be formally investigating Zubin. In S7 E30, after Zubin’s suspension, Dr Green is now in charge of anaesthetics. Zubin complains about having to answer to Dr Green. Connie suggests he take gardening leave if he does not like the arrangement. In S7 E32, Connie tells Zubin that the coroner for the Fryor case has recorded a verdict of misadventure. She says that the trust will distant themselves from the incident and he is on his own. In S7 E33, Connie meets with the board over the incident and suggests that they ask for Zubin’s resignation. In S7 E34, at the board meeting to discuss Zubin’s future, Ric bursts in to give a glowing reference. Connie tells the board to disregard Ric’s comments but Michael overrules her. Zubin is told the board have decided to keep his services and he will have no mark against his name. Zubin is overjoyed but Connie is furious. She asks why Michael did not back her up when they were meant to be calling for Zubin’s resignation. Michael says that everything changed when Ric was no longer on side and that he cannot afford to have disgruntled staff. In S7 E35, Michael tells Connie the board have accepted her proposal to intorduce a cardiothoracic dept, she is pleased and calls a team meeting to inform everyone of the changes – Darwin is to be expanded, whilst Kellar will be downsized. In S7 E36, Connie’s SuperDarwin ward opens, but some of the staff aren’t pleased. Connie does two highly-skilled operations in quick sucession leaving not much room for error. Zubin is not pleased with her behaviour, though she suceeds in completing both operations successfully. In S7 E41, frustrated with Connie’s new system, Ric realises it is unworkable. He bursts into the board meeting and tells everyone his views. Connie is forced to halt the trial – for now and is unhappy with Michael, saying he was covering his own back. In S7 E42, throughout the day, Connie begins to realise her plans for SuperDarwin might be a bit naive. In S7 E45, Connie tells Michael she has discovered Mark’s father, Frank, had MRSA. Michael wants to cover it up and put septicemia on the death certificate – Connie goes along with him, as she doesn’t want to lose the hospitals’ reputation. In S7 E46, Chrissie discovers the cover up and confronts Connie. Michael tries to defuse the situation by deciding to call an emergency board meeting. Connie is not happy about the cover up but asks Michael to stand by her like she did for him. But at the meeting Michael betrays Connie and calls for her resignation. Connie gets more than she bargained for when she later finds Michael kissing Chrissie in her office – in typical Connie-style, she walks in and back out the office to collect her keys, without saying a word to the fumbling pair. In S7 E50, Connie is emotional when she is unable to save Jess’ baby. After the recent VRSA scandal – which Michael secretly brought into the department and is getting himself into deeper trouble, a suspicious Connie confronts him in S7 E52. She tells him she will support him however it’s a bluff and ends up getting Michael arrested.
In S8 E2a, Connie performs a high-risk operation against Loftwood’s advice. The operation is a success, but Loftwood isn’t happy she lied. In S8 E2b, Loftwood tells Connie that he is resigning. He tells her he admires her confidence and reiterates that his position will become vacant. In S8 E4, Elliot joins the team as a cardiothoracic surgeon. Connie feels sidelined when she finds out from Ric that Elliot is to be the new Clinical Lead, but he offers to share his office with her as a gesture of goodwill. The pair are like chalk and cheese, and tension rises. Connie faces a tough decision on which of two patients should be a heart recipient. In S8 E5, Elliot continues to ruffle Connie’s feathers with his bumbling manner and questions her opinions.
Memorable Moments
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