Former Coronation Street actress Lucy-Jo Hudson has bagged herself a brand new role in a rival soap. 

The actress, 41, who rose to fame with her role as Katy Harris in the ITV soap, has now been snapped up by the BBC for a major role in Casualty this Christmas. 

Lucy-Jo will appear in a ground-breaking Christmas special of the BBC One drama with bosses creating a unique standalone episode for the festive period. 

тιтled All I Want For Christmas, the episode will be centred around blood donations and how a shortage of blood rocks the emergency department during the Christmas period. 

The emergency blood shortage will see the regular Casualty crew forced to donate their own blood to save lives. 

The show’s primary cast will team up with Lucy-Jo and a slew of other stars will also be making an appearance on the episode.

Former Coronation Street actress Lucy-Jo Hudson has bagged herself a brand new role in a rival soap (pictured last year)

The actress, 41, who rose to fame for her role as Katy Harris in the ITV soap, has now been snapped up by the BBC for a major role in Casualty this Christmas (pictured 2003)

Also appearing in the Christmas special will be Tristan Sturrock, Joseph Charles, and Katy Carmichael. 

As part of the special, real-life testimonies from those who have been impacted by blood donation will be broadcast within the episode. 

In addition, interviews with NHS key workers from the country’s blood service will be played out. 

Roxanne Harvey, the Executive Producer for BBC Studios Drama Production said: ‘We’re so proud of this life-affirming episode.

‘Beautifully told, with ambitious production values and outstanding performances, this is entertaining, thought-provoking drama at its very best.’ 

The episode will air this December and a brand new series of the long-running drama will commence thereafter. 

Details of Lucy-Jo’s character have so far been kept under wraps, however, it won’t be her first stint in a medical drama. 

In 2016, she played the role of Rhiannon Davis in the now-axed BBC soap Doctors. 

Lucy-Jo is set to appear in a ground-breaking Christmas special of the BBC One drama with bosses creating a unique standalone episode for the festive period (Charles Venn and Milo Clarke pictured)

The British medical soap opera was first broadcast on BBC One on March 26, 2000, and the final episode aired on November 14 this year. 

During her time on the daytime soap, Lucy-Jo went on to win a prestigious British Soap Award for her role in the category of Villain Of The Year. 

Read More Lucy-Jo Hudson makes an exciting baby announcement as she takes to Instagram with partner Lewis Devine and children Sienna, 10, and Carter, 4

However, this will not be her first appearance in a Christmas-themed episode of Casualty either.

In 2010, she appeared in the Winter Wonderland episode, portraying the role of Deena Richards, but her breakthrough role was her three-year stint on the Cobbles as Katy. 

In more recent years, she has become more closely affiliated with the Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks having played Donna-Marie Quinn between 2018 and 2023.

It comes after it was reported earlier this year that Lucy-Jo made a surprise career change and launched a travel agency to keep herself afloat.

Taking to Instagram In January, Lucy-Jo, explained to her almost followers why she had to take a regular job, with reasons many stars could relate to. 

She said in a Story: ‘In my industry, it’s not easy. I could audition for 8 jobs and get none, yet I could fall into a job next week, or I might not work for 6 months!’

It comes after it was reported earlier this year that Lucy-Jo made a surprise career change and launched a travel agency to keep herself afloat 

‘It’s not easy but I continue to push as I love nothing more than acting! But while I’m in limbo, I have decided I need a side hustle.

‘Something that will fit around the kids, that I can take on the road when I’m going to London for castings, something I can keep working on while I get an acting role I love. And I’ve found the perfect thing!

‘Does anyone else fancy working from home earning an extra income? Watch this space! #LJsTravelClub.’

Lucy-Jo played Katy from 2002 to 2005. Her storylines included being victimised by a gang and struggling with diabetes.

She also had a relationship with the much-older Martin Platt, ex-husband of Gail Platt and father to David and Sarah Platt. 

Her exit storyline, which saw her kill her father, unborn baby, then herself, sent shockwaves across the soap world and landed her the moniker ‘Killer Katy’.