What happened to Cassie in Unforgotten? Nicola Walker exit explained - did she die

Unforgotten has returned to our screens for its fifth season, however fan favourite DCI Cassie Stuart will not be reprising her role in the ITV crime drama.

DCI Stuart, who is played by Nicola Walker joined the series when it first aired in 2015, starring opposite Sanjeev Bhaskar’s DI Sunil “Sunny” Khan. The actress will not be returning to the series after her shock exit at the end of season 4 left fans devastated.

Season 5 will see DI Khan gain a new partner, DCI Jessica James played by Sinéad Keenan. So what happened to Cassie in Unforgotten and what has Nicola Walker said about her exit? Here’s everything you need to know.

What happened to Cassie in Unforgotten?

DCI Stuart was one of the lead characters in ITV’s drama Forgotten, having starred in the series since it first aired in 2015. She leads the unsolved crimes unit at the fictional Bishop Street Police Station in London, with season 4 starting off with her and her partner DI Khan investigating a case involving a body that had been stored in a freezer for 30 years.

After resolving the case, fans were left devastated when DCI Stuart died after being involved in a car crash. Stuart was t-boned after emerging from a junction by a car which had been stolen and was being driven by a 24-year-old. Season 4 ends with doctors trying to save her life and her partner DI Khan giving a touching eulogy at her funeral. According to Metro, Forgotten writers said afterwards: “If we’d known COVID was coming, we would have given people a less depressing storyline.”

The impact of Cassie’s death on her partner Khan will be depicted in upcoming episodes during season 5. On Twitter, Unforgotten shared a clip of DI Khan visiting her grave, alongside the caption: “Sometimes it can be too difficult to say goodbye...”

Why did Nicola Walker leave ITV series?

Although Walker was a firm favourite with fans, it seems her series exit had been planned for some time with “clues” about her departure in season 3. In an interview with TV Insider Walker and series creator Chris Lang explained why her character left the series and reflected on the gut-wrenching season 4 finale.

Walker said: “We were talking from the beginning, really, about what he was doing with this character and this story he wanted to tell. Chris and I were always interested in looking at the cost of being involved with these sorts of cases that we all love watching on television. Cassie does not have superpowers. She’s an ordinary person who’s really good at her job and it took her to the place of having an emotional breakdown.”

She continued: “We talked a lot after season 3 about where it was going to go, and it was a joint decision. I think the clues were there in season 3. The title of the show is Unforgotten and I think there’s a great deal of narrative beauty to this woman. She’s not going to be forgotten. I felt like she was quietly very unusual on television because she was a real person.”

Who is Sinéad Keenan?

Keenan is an Irish actress who is best known for her role as Nina in the BBC series Being Human and Theresa Ryan in Three Families. She also had a cameo role in Channel 4’s Derry Girls where she played Aideen, a school friend of Ma Mary and Sarah.

She is joining season 5 of Unforgotten as the character DCI Jessica James, who is filling in as Sunny’s new partner following the death of Cassie. Speaking to Radio Times about her upcoming role, the actress explained the pair don’t see eye to eye to begin with.

Keenan said: “When they meet, it is loggerheads. It’s passive-aggressive, jibes, in a way it’s jostling for position. It’s not until episode four, once the shock of her news dissipates a bit, that she really tries to get herself together. And we hope they can start working together as opposed to beside each other.”