Ethan Hardy

Ethan Hardy (born Michael; 21 November 1986 or after) is a specialist registrar who has worked at Holby City ED since 2014. The week after he joined, his brother Caleb Knight also started working in the department. When they both realised that they'd be working together, they weren't happy as they didn't get along. However, they've since reconciled and their bond has grown stronger once again.

Early life
At a young age, Ethan was adopted along with his older brother, Cal. Their birth mother, Emilie, "lost" them, as they were likely taken away by social services and adopted by a couple. Prior to the adoption, Ethan's name was Michael.

Years later, having grown up not knowing they were adopted, their mother, Matilda, passed away and on Christmas Eve 2015, Cal said that he hadn't seen his father for a long time, so much the same can be assumed for Ethan too. Also, when they first saw each other at work they seemed very shocked, and weren't on very friendly terms.

Time in the Emergency Department (2014-)
Ethan had his first shift in the ED on 11 January 2014. On his first day, he arrived late due to the fact he was waiting for his brother to arrive to be with their seriously ill mother. He helped treat a school teacher with Lily in an attempt to find out what was really wrong with her. Lily was appointed by Zoe, who was the Clinical Lead then, to teach Ethan the basics of working in the ED at Holby. During his shift, he received a call to tell him that his mother had died. He later visited her, to find that his brother had been there by her side, which annoyed Ethan as he felt that he should have been there as he had been for a long time before.

The following week, a new registrar named Cal started at the ED. He attempted to avoid Ethan for the day, due to the fact that they were brothers and didn't get along. When they eventually faced each other, they both expressed their shock and annoyance. However, before long they were both paired up in treating a patient and together managed to be successful.

In August, Cal stole Ethan's idea for cost cutting and blood transfusions, but with some help from Lily, Ethan was able to expose him. The following month, Charlie sent out Ethan and Robyn to the scene of an accident where a floor had collapsed at a wedding party. In October, Ethan was driving the minivan with several other members of staff as passengers as they were on their way to another hospital to give advice. However, another vehicle crashed into the side of it and caused their minivan to tip over. Ethan had serious injuries, but was treated and saved by Cal back at the ED.

In November during a night shift, Ethan took charge as he was the most senior member of staff on shift. The shift was successful under his command, and the team presumably thought it was a nice break from Mrs Beauchamp. Later in the month, Ethan discovered that Honey worked as a polce dancer at a club at night to earn more cash, which left her embarassed. Ethan became more involved in the new year when Honey called him asking for assistance at the club when she injured her ankle. After finding this out, he attempted to distance himself from her, which ultimately led to her leaving in February to look after her grandmother.

Ethan was left furious with Cal that April when he discovered that he'd stolen £15,000 from him to give to Taylor Ashbie for her charity. However, Taylor was exposed as a con artist who was just after Cal for the money, which left Cal feeling like a fool. Later in the month, Ethan was called by Cal who had found Taylor in a public toilet with a knife in her leg. Reluctantly, he arrived to assist her but he made an agreement with her that she'd get out of Cal's life once and for all and run away. When she does, Cal found out that Ethan was the one who told her to and was furious.

In July 2015, Bonnie Curtis arrived at the ED with her boyfriend Clyde Jackson who has a gunshot wound to his chest. Ethan knew the history of the pair since around September 2014 when she was admitted with a knife wound to her hip. He immediately suspected it was a result of domestic abuse, but she denies these claims. Over the next few months she is admitted for more injuries and she eventually reveals to him that Clyde is abusing her. When she is admitted for a fall down the stairs he thinks that something should be done as she is left seemingly disabled. Ethan suspects that now, the gunshot wound to Clyde's chest isn't suicide as Bonnie had suggested and speaks to her about it. She reveals that she did shoot him but by the time Ethan can react, he has fallen asleep as result of the drug that Bonnie had slipped into his coffee. When he wakes up he goes to the police station to report the suspected murder, and he is joined by Robyn, who saw Bonnie dispose of the gun in a used needle disposal bin, and Iain who saw Bonnie walking again towards her lover, also the man who let the ambulance's wheels down at the crime scene. Bonnie is then seen boarding a plane to an unknown destination.

In August after her return to the ED, Honey admitted to Noel that she had a crush on Ethan, but was clearly jealous of Lily's relationship with him. The following week whilst treating Charlie's son Louis, Ethan accidentally pricked himself with the contaminated needle, which gave him a scare that he may have contracted HIV from it, but the results luckily came back negative. Later in the month, Ethan and Cal failed their FCEM exams to become consultants but Lily passed hers to become a registrar. He attended Max and Zoe's wedding on 23 August 2015, and was one of the people who attempted to extinguish the fire which broke out.

The following month, following a brief relationship, Honey and Ethan broke up and she left the ED to set up business elsewhere. After Taylor returned in October 2015 with a baby claiming it to be Cal's, Ethan encouraged him to take a paternity test to see if it was his or not. When the test came back to say Cal wasn't the baby's father, Ethan supports him. However, this discovery lead to Cal discovering that he and Ethan were adopted, and that their mother has Huntington's Disease. Cal tried to find an appropriate time to tell Ethan, but in the new year, Ethan's own state of mind was going downhill, and Cal didn't think he could cope with hearing his news too.

In 2016, he realised that he failed to see the signs of abuse on Jess' young daughter Olivia. He was left feeling guilty, but everyone tried to convince him that is wasn't his fault, including Lily. In mid-January when a black alert was called in the hospital, Ethan was forced to discharge a suicidal man at the start of the day. However, he later recognised a man who had died in the ED as him, and that when he left the ED he had presumably killed himself. With his emotions clearly in a mess, Cal prepared to finally tell him the truth, but just at the wrong time.

Personal life
Ethan is the brother of Caleb "Cal" Knight, a co-worker and another registrar in the Emergency Department. It's unknown as to why the two have different surnames as it has been revealed that they have the same parents. Ethan has had several romantic encounters whilst working at the ED, including Lily Chao and Honey Wright. In August 2015, Ethan began a relationship with Honey but it ended the next month.

Trivia

 * Caleb Knight is his brother.
 * Strengths: Naturally gifted medic, strong bedside manner, makes people laugh.
 * Fears: Forever being seen as second best.
 * Ethan was adopted.

Behind the scenes
portrays Ethan in Casualty. In the episode "Strangers" which aired on 21 November 2015, Ethan celebrated his birthday, however it's unknown how old he is. It can be concluded though that he was born in either 1986 or after, as he's younger than Cal who was born in the February of that year.

In a "coming up" trailer released on 13 January 2016, Ethan can be seen telling Lily that he's quitting, hinting that the character may be departing from the show. This scene will be included in the episode "Shame", but it's unknown as to whether Ethan will actually follow through.

Appearances

 * See also: Character appearances.

Ethan first appeared in the series 28 episode "Bad Timing" at the beginning of 2014.