The award-winning BBC medical drama Casualty makes its explosive return to screens this weekend, promising viewers tears, tantrums, and a major pregnancy revelation. After months off air, the show is back with a brand new 12-part series, gearing up for its landmark 40th anniversary later this year.
Chaos and Confrontations at Holby General
A newly released trailer confirms that Holby City General Hospital is descending into chaos once more. The trauma department is under immense pressure, facing the dual threat of being overwhelmed by patients and a looming inspection from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Clinical lead Flynn Byron (Olly Rix) is on a collision course with the brilliant but shambolic Dylan Keogh. Their conflict ignites when Dylan point-blank refuses to mentor new resident doctor Matty (Aron Julius), leading Flynn to yell: “Just suck it up and be his mentor for God’s sake!” The disagreement escalates into a full-blown physical fight, with Dylan later insisting, “It’s not about sides - this is a team.”
Meanwhile, nurse manager Siobhan McKenzie (Melanie Hill) struggles to maintain order, telling colleagues to “keep calm and carry on” before spectacularly failing to follow her own advice in a moment of pure rage.
Shock Pregnancy News and Family Turmoil
One of the biggest shocks comes when Siobhan delivers life-changing news to mum-of-three Faith Cadogan (Kirsty Mitchell). “You’re pregnant,” Siobhan announces, as the colour visibly drains from Faith’s face. Faith's relationship with ex-army corporal Iain (Michael Stevenson) is already strained, and she is heard telling him: “Find somebody else to fix.”
Elsewhere, Jacob Masters (Charles Venn) faces continuing family drama. He is seen tearfully hugging his wayward son Blake, who is later marched away by police, while Jacob’s young grandson Carter looks on. Jacob is heard declaring, “something’s got to change,” as his personal woes mount.
New Faces and a Rocky Road Ahead
The series introduces two new characters who are in for a turbulent start. Matty, a charming new resident, is immediately unimpressed with what he sees and vows to report the department to the CQC. His fellow newcomer, the confident Kim (Jasmine Bayes), declares, “I was made for the ED. You have no idea what I can do,” but is quickly reprimanded for not focusing on basic medical duties.
Amid the turmoil, there are brief moments of respite. Cam (Barney Walsh) and Indie (Naomi Wakszlak) share a happy kiss in the opening episode, titled Learning Curve. However, with the ED in crisis and the team fracturing, clinical leads Flynn and Siobhan must find a way to unite the staff.
Casualty returns on Saturday 10th January. All episodes will be available to stream from 6am on BBC iPlayer, with a linear broadcast at 8.45pm on BBC One. The series comes after BBC Studios won the tender to continue producing the Bafta-winning drama, which is filmed in Cardiff, with production on the next run starting this spring.
