Casualty has been named Best Soap and Continuing Drama at the Broadcast Awards, beating rivals including Coronation Street, EastEnders, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and Holby City.
The BBC medical drama was praised for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, returning to screens in January with a special episode focusing on the Emergency Department's response to the first wave. The storyline saw consultant Connie Beauchamp (Amanda Mealing) struggle under pressure as multiple team members became infected, including beloved receptionist Noel Garcia (Tony Marshall).
Throughout 2021, Casualty highlighted the pandemic's impact on staff, including deaf nurse Jade Lovall (Gabriella Leon) coping with full PPE. The show also tackled domestic abuse, with paramedic Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson) rescuing his friend Jacob Masters (Charles Venn) from an abusive relationship.
Later in the year, viewers saw the emotional storyline of disabled pregnant woman Paula Kettering (Rosie Jones), whose baby was taken by social services in devastating scenes. The show also won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Continuing Drama in June.
Other nominees at the Broadcast Awards included Coronation Street's storyline about the attack on Nina Lucas (Mollie Gallagher) and Seb Franklin (Harry Visinoni), Emmerdale's first Pride event featuring RuPaul's Drag Race UK star The Vivienne, and EastEnders' wedding of Ben Mitchell (Max Bowden) and Callum Highway (Tony Clay).
