Appearance
S9 E12 – S11 E24
Job Title
Staff Nurse
First Words
Jude : Hi
Matt : What can I do for you?
Jude : You can tell me the way to the staff room
Matt : Sorry?
Jude : The way to the staff room (Matt points) Cheers!
Background
Jude Kocarnik proved you didn’t have to look ‘girlie’ and conventional to be a good nurse. Newly qualified Jude, arrived in Holby A&E, with dreadlocks, nose-pierced, leather jacket and Doc Marten boots, in S9 E2. Jude is a vegetarian, supporter of animal rights and other issues, and doesn’t believe in Christmas celebrations – but she doesn’t preach. She has learnt that life is short, and so burns the candle at both ends – she is a regular for coming into shifts with a hangover. Jude chose A&E, which isn’t the easiest of departments, because she wanted to work in a job which involves a lot of quick thinking – a place where you never know what’s going to happen.
Her first patient shows us how easy Jude is to talk to and trust; a young woman in a wheelchair asks her in confidence for the morning after pill, as she is afraid of what her Mum will say. In S9 E18, Jude meets up with her old friend, James, who has Aids, and has been attacked. James’ boyfriend Daniel can’t talk to James about his illness, but Jude brings them together. In S10 E7, Jude becomes Union Rep – Ash supports the decision, believing she will be able to stand up for the staff, and their rights. Jude supports SHO Daniel through his doubts on being a doctor – he is attracted to her, but she is just being friendly. In S10 E15, we see she has another admirer – Matt, the receptionist, he is jealous when he sees her dancing innocently with Daniel at the charity ball.
In S11 E3, Jude’s ex-boyfriend Steve, is brought in with a head injury, accompanied by his young son. Jude discovers Steve snatched the boy after his girlfriend left him for another man. Steve collapses due to a heart condition, Jude contacts his girlfriend, who arrives as Steve dies. They are both devastated. At Mike’s leaving party in S11 E10, Jude and Matt finally get together, drunk. Next episode, Jude and Matt are feeling awkward with eachother. She finds out she is pregnant, after her contraception failed, and tries to tell Matt in S11 E14, but changes her mind when she finds out he’s been offered a job in Crete. At the Christmas party in S11 E15, she finally tells Matt the news – he is shocked and she storms off. She decides to have an abortion, and Matt offers to go with her, they go to the clinic in S11 E19. In S11 E21, Matt announces that he is going to Crete, he feels there is nothing left for him after the abortion – they say goodbye in S11 E22. At the end of S11 E23, a porter reports a nurse has collapsed in the corridor – Charlie and Sam go towards her and find Jude in a pool of blood – she has been stabbed. She is rushed into Resus. Police arrive to investigate – there are a number of suspects. Matt phones from Crete and is told of the incident, he gets on the first flight and rushes to be by her beside. The police discover she was stabbed by a heroin addict, with a psychiatric record.
Next series, we learn she has survived. The staff receive a postcard from Crete – from happy couple Jude and Matt.
Memorable Moments