CASUALTY hunk Olly Rix has confirmed his new romance with a co-star – going Instagram official months after splitting from a Call The Midwife actress.
The 40-year-old actor, who plays sexy surgeon Flynn Byron on the long-running BBC show, is in a relationship with Anna Chell, 28, who appears opposite him as nurse Jodie Whyte.
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Olly confirmed their romance by sharing a string of loved-up snaps from their summer together on Instagram – along with adorable pictures with his pet dog Nellie.
He captioned the post: “Summer with Anna and Nellie.”
Fans rushed to the comment section to share their excitement as the pair go Instagram official.
One wrote: “This is so cute, you are actually made for each other.”
Another added: “My heart is so happy.”
A third penned: “I never knew they were a couple how cute xx”.
The Sun revealed that they were dating after meeting on the set of the BBC medical drama.
The actor teased fans on social media with a snap of Anna on his Instagram stories – fuelling rumours that the co-stars were dating and getting close.
Back in June, he shared a snap of them enjoying a day out together at a stonemason’s workshop, dabbling in masonry together.
Olly played Matthew on Call the Midwife for three years, and The Sun exclusively revealed last year that he was last year leaving to go to Casualty.
Matthew and Trixie share flirty phone all on Call The Midwife
He joined the Saturday night drama last year after the end of his brief relationship with Helen George, 41, who also plays a nurse, Trixie Franklin, on Call the Midwife.
It not only saw her play the wife of Olly’s character, businessman Matthew Aylward, but also act alongside her real life partner and dad of her two children, Jack Ashton, 38, whom she split with in 2023.
An insider said at the time: “After finding himself uncomfortably thrust into the spotlight towards the end of his time on Call the Midwife, Olly’s in a really good place at the moment.
“Over the last year he’s quickly settled into his new role on Casualty, got a new home in Cardiff where the drama is filmed, and is enjoying a blossoming romance with Anna.
Real-life soap couples
Soaps are renowned for their sweet and scandalous romances – but it’s not just in scripted storylines where love is blossoming. A number of our favourite small-screen actors have fallen for co-stars and soapland rivals when the cameras have stopped rolling.
Max Parker and Kris Mochrie
Despite playing brothers Luke and Lee Posner on Emmerdale, the pair never actually shared any scenes together. But the pair still fell in love after meeting on set. Max and Kris got together in 2020, moving in together later than same year and got engaged in 2022. In a sweet Instagram post, the couple confirmed they’re planning a 2025 wedding.
Beth Cordingly and Ian Kelsey
Beth, who plays Ruby Fox-Miligan, announced her love for her co-star Ian Kelsey, who played Dean Glover, shortly after she joined Emmerdale at the beginning of 2024. “I am very in love with Ian and very happy. I think it really does work him being an actor too. He has been so fantastic,” she gushed.
Laura Norton and Mark Jordan
Kerry Wyatt and Daz Eden actors Laura and Mark met on the set of Emmerdale in 2014. The couple, who got engaged in 2018, told Loose Women they spent a long time deciding whether they should “just stay as friends.” Although it seems they were meant to be and the pair now share two children together.
Zoe Henry and Jeff Hordley
Emmerdale favourites Zoe and Jeff, who play Rhonda Goskirk and Cain Dingle met at drama college in 1994 and have been together ever since. While working together might be too much for some couples, that’s definitely not the case for Zoe and Jeff. Zoe previously told The Sun: “Working on the same show as Jeff also helps because if one of us is having a bad day then the other will completely understand.”
Lesley Dunlop and Chris Chittell
Lesley and Chris are another Dales romantic success story. Unlike some of the other soap stars, the pair who play Brenda Walker and Eric Pollard, are together on and off screen, officially tying the knot in 2016. They also adore working together, but have clear home-work boundaries. “We make a point of not talking about Emmerdale when we’re at home, though – that would be just too sad, wouldn’t it?” Chris revealed.
Sally Carman and Joe Duttine
Abi Franklin and Tim Metcalfe actors Sally and Joe got together after meeting on the set of Coronation Street in 2017 and they tied the knot in July 2022. But unlike some of the Emmerdale stars, Sally and Joe prefer that their characters don’t interact much. Sally previously admitted it “would be horrendous” to work on a storyline with Joe because “he’s too funny.”
Anthony Cotton and Peter Eccleston
Sean Tully may have been unlucky in love on the cobbles, but in real life Antony’s met his Prince Charming. The soap star started dating long-term partner Peter in 2005, after they met when he was working as an assistant props buyer on Corrie.
Jane Danson and Robert Beck
Corrie favourite Jane Danson tied the knot with soap star Robert Beck in 2005. The actress, who plays Leanne Battersby, shares two children, Harry and Sam, with the former Brookside star. During their marriage, Robert has also done a stint in Weatherfield playing criminal Jimmy Dockerson.
Caroline Harding and Chris Gascoyne
Chris, who played pub landlord Peter Barlow, married soap star Caroline in 2002. Although she is best known as an Emmerdale star, Caroline did visit her husband at work when she did a two-episode stint as doctor on the Manchester soap in 2020. The couple share a daughter called Belle, plus two children, Pip and Freddie from Caroline’s previous marriage.
Nadine Mulkerrin and Rory Douglas Speed
Nadine Mulkerrin, and Rory Doulas Speed are known for their Hollyoaks alter egos Cleo McQueen and Joel Dexter. The loved-up pair got engaged on a December 2018 trip to Amsterdam – just over a year after they announced they were dating. They now share two kids, Reggie and Dougie.
Sophie Austin and Shayne Ward
Former Hollyoaks star Sophie, whose best known for playing villain Lindsay Butterfield, was introduced to singer and ex-Corrie star Shayne through mutual friends. She gave birth to their daughter Willow in December 2016 and they welcomed a son in 2022.
“Devotees of the drama will no doubt be analysing their scenes together to see if there are tell-tale hints of chemistry between them – assuming they haven’t already spotted signs.”
Previously, Olly and Helen had been frequently pictured growing close this year as they both split from their respective real-life partners.
It came four months after she announced her split from actor partner Jack Ashton, whom she met on the BBC show in 2014.
At about the same time, Olly split from his make-up artist girlfriend Natasha Fagri, after seven years together.
They ended their relationship in mid-2024.
Sources indicated that the pair had “drifted apart,” and Olly unfollowed Helen on Instagram.
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