Appearance
S17 E32 – S20 E38
Job Title
Paramedic
First Words
(to Lara) We’ve been all set for the last three hours!
Last Words
(to Comfort and Josh) You go on, get off. I hate long goodbyes.
Background
In S17 E32, new paramedic Luke Warren arrives on the scene looking rugged and ready for action. He is thrown in at the deep end on his first day when he is trapped in the cellar of a house with teenage girl, Samina, after a gas explosion rips through and destroys the rest of the building. He bravely performs a life-saving procedure with guidance from Lara, who calls instructions through the small window. Though they have been sparring all day, Lara is quite taken with his cheeky arrogance. The girl in his care recognises him as an ex-footballer and she is not the only one surprised to see him in his new role. Bex is shocked when he turns up at reception but immediately puts him straight about why they are no longer married. In S17 E36, Luke is called to an incident at Holby United, his old stamping ground, which reawakens old memories. The past also comes back to haunt Bex when a player is brought into the hospital. Bex reveals that it was the injured player’s vicious tackle which ended Luke’s career in football. In S17 E38, Luke spends the day shadowing and irritating Lara but, at a loose end, she is persuaded to go for a drink with him. They head to a bar and swap alcohol-induced personal confessions. Lara invites herself back to Luke’s and they end up in a passionate embrace. In S17 E39, Lara wakes up in Luke’s bed with a raging hangover. Feeling ill, she corners Luke to find out exactly what happened the night before. After trying to tell him that the whole thing is a mistake, Luke coolly knocks her off her perch by pointing out that there is not actually anything between them.
In S18 E5 Lara and Luke are attending a photo shoot for the launch of the RRU (Rapid Response Unit) when they are interrupted by a call out to a road accident. They disagree about how the situation should be handled but the decision is taken out of their hands when they are called to another incident. In S18 E14, Bex arrives late, looking pale and lank. She is scared of what might be wrong with her but Luke stays by her side and persuades her to get checked out. She is horrified when the results show she has diabetes and rushes out of the department in a state of panic. In S18 E15, following the shock news that she is diabetic, Bex is distraught. She refuses to answer the door when Luke, concerned that she has not received any insulin, comes to check on her. Instead, she drowns her sorrows in wine and cigarettes, unaware of the danger she is putting herself in. Luke later finds her collapsed. In S18 E17, when a young soldier dies in A&E, Luke feels responsible for overlooking his head injury. But it’s not his fault; the soldier’s heavy-handed senior officer, Dale, lied about vital medical details to cover up the fact that he gave him drugs. This discovery makes no difference to Luke, and Dale’s nonchalance winds him up further, but when he joins Lara for a drink, she manages to put a smile back on his face. In S18 E18, frustrated by the unnecessary death of a young soldier, Luke accuses Dale of lying and vows to uncover the truth. Dale and his heavies pay Luke a visit. In S18 E19, Luke finds out the truth about Dale and discovers that he has tried to kill himself. Luke refuses to let him get away with it that easily. In S18 E24, Luke is disgusted when Fin admits he lost it with Comfort and hit her, but still offers him a bed at his place. In S18 E27 Luke’s old football coach, Percy Miles is brought in, after being found collapsed in his car. He is discovered to be a child abuser. In S18 E31, as Josh and Luke are leaving a bogus call, a man Greg appears from the back of the ambulance, holding a gun and demanding the key to the drugs box. In the ensuing struggle, Greg is shot in the stomach. In S18 E32, Josh has to suspend Luke pending the enquiry and inquest into the gun incident. Josh assures Luke it is standard procedure but Luke is unable to fully believe this. In S18 E35, Luke turns up in the department, bored during suspension. Bex asks him to do some filing to distract and he asks her out for a drink as a thank you. In S18 E36, Bex is keen to cheer Luke up, so they go speed dating. When Luke realises that Bex has all the qualities he likes in a date, there is sexual tension between them. In S18 E39, it is the day of Luke’s inquest. Josh sticks to his story and claims that drug addict Greg was holding the gun before it went off. Greg’s wife, Kate, tries to get Luke to say it was his fault but the coroner returns a verdict of accidental death. Luke, however, announces that he is going to quit. At his leaving party Fin asks Luke to be his best man on one condition only – that he doesn’t quit. In S18 E42, Bex is elated after her evening with Luke. She is convinced that they have a future together and confides to Claire that she is in love with him. When Bex tells him she has planned a romantic dinner for two, he admits that their night together was a mistake. Bex is crushed but vows to Claire that she will get her man. In S18 E45, Bex tells Luke she thinks they should get back together. He says categorically that this will never happen. Later, Bex tells Claire to keep an eye on Luke as he is talking to another woman, but Claire ends up kissing him. In S18 E46, Bex overhears Luke and Claire talking about their kiss, upset and angry she has a cat fight with Claire.
In S19 E1, the team are involved in the case of two missing children. Nina and Luke head to a sewer and find the missing boy trapped. He is eventually pulled to safety, but his sister is later found dead. In S19 E3, Luke attends a call from a woman who has been beaten up by her partner – it’s Kate Millar. In S19 E5, Kate is admitted to hospital after being beaten by her boyfriend – again. Luke goes to see her but she leaves without being treated, saying she doesn’t want anything to do with Luke, because he killed her husband. In S19 E6, when Luke goes to Kate’s house to check if she is ok, she tells him to go away. He gives her his phone number in case she needs to call him for help. In S19 E7, Luke drops off an envelope, containing money, at Kate’s house. Her boyfriend turns up at work and threatens Luke, pushing him to the ground. Josh scares him off but warns Luke to stay away from Kate, or he could end up getting hurt. In S19 E8, Luke cannot take his mind off Kate and goes to her house to see her. Her face is covered in bruises and he talks her into letting him in to attend to them. Once inside he persuades her to come and stay at the safety of his house. Her boyfriend turns up as they are escaping but they manage to get away in Luke’s car. In S19 E9, Luke does not handle the news of Fin’s death well and goes home early. Worried, Bex decides to go and check on him. When she arrives at his house, an angry Bex discovers that Kate has moved in. Kate offers to move out, but instead, Luke asks Bex to leave. In S19 E10, Kate has an interview for a cleaning job at the hospital which Luke arranged for her. Later, when he’s out driving with Josh, his mobile rings. It’s Kate. Josh answers the phone and then warns Luke not to get involved. In S19 E11, Bex gives Kate a hard time on her first day in her new job, calling her manipulative. Kate decides to move out of Luke’s house, saying it will be easier for everyone. In S19 E12, Luke confronts Bex for shouting at Kate last week. Bex says that she was only looking after Luke’s interests and that she thinks Kate is using him. Later, however, Luke tells Kate that he loves her. In S19 E13, Luke tells Bex that Kate has left him and Bex says it is obvious that Kate did not care about him. In S19 E17, Luke is involved in the oil tanker crash at the hospital. He becomes trapped in the isolation ward. Whilst there, he discovers one man has left Bex for dead in another part of the hospital. Bex and Luke are both relieved to find they have both made it when they are rescued. In S19 E22, Luke and Woody play a prank on Charlie and Harry. Next episode in S19 E23, the two paramedics go to a shout where a man has been burgled. He has a pet parrot, which messes all over them. Harry and Selena plot to play a practical joke on the pair to pay them back for last episode. Harry tells them the parrot droppings could cause a potentially fatal disease. Selena warns them they will need an injection in their bottoms and tells them to go and get undressed. Charlie pulls back the bed curtain to take a Polaroid of the paramedics but they have left dummies lying there – they had guessed it was a joke. After Bex is raped by Claire’s brother Pete – Luke is the first person she tries to call. In S19 E26, Luke finds out from Claire about Bex’s ordeal. He immediately jumps to her defence and tells Claire to sort her loyalties out – Pete must be lying. Luke tries to call Bex but she does not answer, he tells Nina he cannot come on an urgent shout and rushes to see Bex instead. Bex breaks down and keeps asking why did Pete do this. Luke tells her he will support her through her ordeal. In S19 E27, Luke consoles Bex, who is still off work and afraid that people won’t believe that she was raped. In S19 E29, after a stressful day, Luke finds Claire alone crying and they end up kissing. In S19 E30, Claire and Luke share a secret kiss in an empty office. Luke says that what they are doing is wrong because of Bex. Claire tells him they should just not talk about Bex or Luke when they are together. Later, Nina teases Claire about having a secret lover – Luke walks over and hears the conversation. In S19 E31, Bex is back at work after her hypo. Bex’s breezy confidence crumbles however, when Pete uses all his powers of manipulation to get Claire to speak to Bex for him, which sends her into a panic. Claire and Luke are finding it hard to keep their relationship a secret, especially with everything that’s happening with Bex. Luke is furious at Claire for upsetting Bex by trying to get her to speak to Pete, but agrees that they shouldn’t let the situation affect their relationship. It can’t help but get in the way however, as later that evening Bex rings Luke, terrified that she’s seen Pete trying to get into her flat. Luke feels he has no choice but the cancel the night he had planned with Claire and go to Bex. In S19 E32, Luke brings Bex into work – she is shaky, thinking Pete was outside her house. Luke says he will support her as she brings Pete to justice. Claire gets increasingly annoyed as Luke seems to be giving Bex more attention than her. Later, Luke agrees to a night in with Bex as she is still shaky. He tries to reschedule his evening with Claire as he will be seeing Bex. Claire goes mad and storms over to Bex, telling her that she is Luke’s girlfriend now. Bex is devastated. Luke is furious with Claire. Later, Luke finds Bex crying and tries to apologise to her but she is inconsolable – Claire’s brother raped her. She cannot understand how Luke can be with Claire and says she’ll never forgive him. In S19 E33, Luke tries to talk to Bex after she found out about him and Claire last week. She is devastated and tells him she will never forgive that he is dating her rapist’s sister. In S19 E34, after the first day of Bex’s trial, that night Claire breaks down under the strain. She tells Luke that Pete told her he came on heavy with Bex but that she led him on. She wants comfort from Luke but he is furious and throws her out of his house. In S19 E35, Luke apologises to Claire for his outburst the previous episode but tells her that she must tell the prosecution about Pete’s revelation. Claire tells Pete what Luke said, although he warns her that the conversation is hearsay and that it will be inadmissible in court. Luke goes to see the prosecution lawyer who tells him that if the person is a witness speaking under oath, it would be a crime not to disclose what they know. Later, Luke warns Claire that she could be found guilty of perjury and if she doesn’t say anything, they are finished. In S19 E36, Claire tells Luke she will tell the jury that Pete had sex with Bex, despite her saying no, and Luke reassures her that she is doing the right thing. Later, Claire tells Pete what she is planning to do, but he repeats what he previously told her – that the claim will be inadmissible in court. Claire says she knows he is lying, but a desperate Pete begs her not to say anything and says that he wouldn’t survive prison. When a tearful Claire takes to the stand, she almost tells the truth about Pete but cannot bring herself to do so, and says nothing. Outside, Pete thanks her but she tells him to leave her alone, and Luke walks off in disgust. Later, Claire finds Luke drunk at his house and he tells her that their relationship is over. In S19 E37, Claire tells Pete she lied for him and now she has ruined her chances with Luke. Back at work, Luke avoids Claire. She tries to talk to him but is disgusted she lied for her rapist brother. A verdict of ‘not guilty’ is reached at the rial. Outside Luke tries to hit Pete. In S19 E38, Luke tells Claire that he cannot believe she let a rapist go free. She tries to talk to him but he is not interested in her explanations. Luke goes and talks to Bex. He says he is sorry about what she went through in court and says he knows she was telling the truth. Luke reveals that Pete confessed to Claire that he raped Bex but that she did not say anything in court. Bex is horrified that Luke withheld this information and said nothing. In S19 E39, Claire then tries to talk to Luke, she defends Pete saying that he is not a rapist and he simply misread the signals but Luke says she is deluded. In S19 E40, Luke tells Claire she should go and talk to Bex but Claire says she is not ready to. In S19 E41, Bex tells Claire she is going to leave Holby to make a fresh start. Claire is horrified and later tells Bex she will leave so that Bex can stay. Bex says she needs to leave because she cannot bare to see Luke and Claire together. Claire says that Luke wants nothing to do with her but Bex says that Luke still loves Claire. Claire speaks to Luke, the couple kiss and make up. In S19 E42, Pete turns up at the hospital and attacks Bex outside. Luke rushes over to protect her. He punches Pete, knocking him to the ground. Pete is then admitted for treatment. Luke checks up on Bex. She tells him she is moving away as there are too many bad memories here. Later, Luke notices that Pete is missing. He goes to warn Bex but she is not at reception. Pete finds Bex walking in an empty corridor and threatens to destroy her. A terrified Bex pushes him off and he falls down a flight of stairs. Luke and Charlie rush over, Luke tells Bex to leave. In S19 E43, the team are unable to save Pete. Luke lies to Harry and tells him he found Pete at the bottom of the stairs – he must have fallen. Bex breaks down to Luke, saying she did not mean to push Pete. Luke reassures her everything will be fine. Luke and Charlie both corroborate an untrue story to the police and Colin the security guard hands Luke CCTV footage. In S19 E44, Bex panicks and worries that the police will find out that she pushed Pete down the stairs. Luke tells her he has a plan and arranges for her to escape abroad. On the way to the harbour, the police give chase. But Luke – who has left Claire early at her brother’s funeral – manages to get Bex on the boat and away before they are caught. Bex asks Luke to come with her, but it’s clear he still has feelings for Claire when he refuses, despite their close bond. In S19 E45, Claire is still angry with Luke for leaving her at Pete’s funeral and says she can’t forgive him. However after thinking it over, they both decide to give things another go as they still love eachother. In S19 E46, Claire puts a present in Luke’s car and finds a VHS tape in the glove compartment. She watches it in the staff room and is shocked to discover it’s the CCTV footage of Bex pushing Pete down the stairs. In S19 E47, Luke meets her, saying he has something important to tell her. Claire braces herself to hear the truth about Pete’s death but Luke asks her to marry him. A disgusted Claire storms off. In S19 E48, Claire persuades Charlie and Luke to scatter Pete’s ashes with her by the sea. But she soon starts behaving erratically and demands to know what happened to her brother. Later, as they all get in the car to go home, Claire deliberately drives off the harbour and into the water. Luke manages to pull Charlie out of the water to safety, but Claire does not survive.
In S20 E9a, Luke and his paramedic colleagues are doing a demonstration for children at an unruly school when things go wrong. Josh loses his temper and slap a boy who tumbles into him as he treats a patient. Woody is unhappy at the incident, but Luke offers Josh his full support.
Memorable Moments
- S17 E32 – Luke is thrown in at the deep end on his first shift.
- S17 E38 – Luke and Lara spend a drunken night together.
- S18 E17 – Luke feels responsible when a soldier dies.
- S18 E18 – Luke is beaten up.
- S18 E31 – Luke and Josh deal with a gunman.
- S18 E36 – Bex and Luke go speed dating.
- S18 E39 – Luke’s inquest; he decides to resign following verdict.
- S19 E8 – Luke helps Kate escape from her abusive boyfriend.
- S19 E26 – Luke finds out about Bex’s rape and rushed round to support her.
- S19 E29 – Claire and Luke share a kiss.
- S19 E36 – Luke dumps Claire after she failed to tell the truth in court.
- S19 E44 – Luke helps Bex escape police after Pete’s death.
- S19 E48 – Claire ploughs her car, with Luke and Charlie inside, into the harbour
