George Rainsford who played the role of Dr Ethan Hardy on BBC One’s Casualty has shared the personal reasons on why he left the medical drama earlier this year.

The 40-year-old had been a part of the series for nine years and announced he was leaving at the end of last year in November.

In his final episodes, viewers saw Ethan make a difficult decision as he decided to leave the emergency department to spend more time with his on-screen son Bodhi.

Why did George Rainsford leave Casualty after almost a decade?

George explained to The Express why he decided to quit the soap in an exclusive interview.

He said: “There were just a few factors, I was living away from home for a long period and I also was missing doing other sorts of acting roles.

“I spoke to [the producers] about an extended break. As yet, there's no return date planned, but I think the door is open.”

When asked about whether he would return to Casualty, he said he’s “sure it is a possibility” as the “producers are really kind.”

He went on to say he would be “interested” in doing another stint to continue the storyline of his character’s Huntington disease diagnosis.

The topic was researched by Casualty and George worked closely with Huntington’s Disease Association, reports The Express.

George continued to say: “I just wanted to basically be authentic and make sure I was telling that story correctly.

“I wanted to shine a light on a condition that not a lot of people know about, and I didn't know about to be honest.

“I didn't want to just skirt around the edges and do it generalised, particularly around how you go about telling family members or your work colleagues that you are living with something like that.”

What is Huntington’s disease?

It is a condition that damages nerve cells in the brain causing them to stop working properly and is inherited from someone’s parents, reports the NHS.

The damage to the brain gets worse over time, affecting movement, perception, awareness, thinking and mental health.

What are the symptoms of Huntington’s disease?

The NHS says symptoms usually start at 30 to 50 years of age, but can begin much earlier or later and can include:

  • difficulty concentrating and memory lapses
  • depression
  • stumbling and clumsiness
  • involuntary jerking or fidgety movements of the limbs and body
  • mood swings and personality changes
  • problems swallowing, speaking and breathing
  • difficulty moving

If you have any health concerns you should visit your GP and more information can be found on the Huntington’s Disease Association website.

Casualty is on BBC One on Saturdays from 8.25pm.