Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...

'' is a British

medical drama A medical drama is a television show or film in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment. Most recent medical drama (film and television), dramatic programming go beyond the events pertaining to the chara ...

television series that premiered in the United Kingdom on

BBC One BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, p ...

on 6 September 1986. It is the longest-running emergency medical drama television series in the world, and the most enduring medical drama broadcast on

primetime television Prime time or the peak time is the block of broadcast programming taking place during the middle of the evening for a television show. It is mostly targeted towards adults (and sometimes families). It is used by the major television networks to ...

in the world. ''Casualty'' is set in the fictional

Holby City Hospital Holby is a fictional city in the United Kingdom, the setting for the BBC medical dramas '' Casualty'' and ''Holby City'', and the police drama '' HolbyBlue''. It is based on the real city of Bristol, where ''Casualty'' was formerly filmed, and i ...

and focuses on the staff and patients of the hospital's

emergency department An emergency department (ED), also known as an accident and emergency department (A&E), emergency room (ER), emergency ward (EW) or casualty department, is a medical treatment facility specializing in emergency medicine, the acute care of pati ...

(ED). The drama was created by

Jeremy Brock Jeremy Brock MBE (born 1959) is a British writer and director whose works include the screenplays ''Mrs Brown'', ''Driving Lessons'', ''The Last King of Scotland'', '' Charlotte Gray'', and ''The Eagle''. Brock has also written two plays for th ...

and Paul Unwin, while

Geraint Morris Geraint Morris (28 March 1941 – 12 July 1997) was a profound Welsh film and television director and producer. His first work as a director was on ''The Onedin Line''. Later contributions included '' Sutherland's Law'', ''Barlow at Large'' ...

produced the first three series. The drama has aired for 32 series and a 33rd series currently airs. Over 1,000 episodes have aired in total. ''

Holby City ''Holby City'' (stylised on-screen as HOLBY CIY) is a British medical drama television series that aired weekly on BBC One. It was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama ''Casualty'', and pr ...

'', a spin-off of ''Casualty'', was commissioned in 1998 and began airing on 12 January 1999. The two shows are closely related with several

crossover Crossover may refer to: Entertainment Albums and songs * ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album) * ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987 * ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album) * ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album) * ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...

events occurring between them. Some crossovers broadcast between December 2004 and December 2005 are styled as episodes of ''

Casualty@Holby City Casualty@Holby City (styled as ''CASUAL+Y @ HOLBY CI+Y'') is a series of special crossover episodes of BBC medical dramas ''Casualty'' and '' Holby City''. While ''Casualty'' was launched on 6 September 1986, and its spin-off ''Holby City'' wa ...

''. A British

police procedural The police show, or police crime drama, is a subgenre of procedural drama and detective fiction that emphasizes the investigative procedure of a police officer or department as the protagonist(s), as contrasted with other genres that focus on eith ...

drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

and spin-off to ''Casualty'', ''

HolbyBlue ''HolbyBlue'' (also known as ''Holby Blue'') was a British police procedural drama series. The show revolves around the daily lives of a number of police officers working at Holby South police station. The cast for series one included Jimmy Akin ...

'' was announced on 27 April 2006. It began on 8 May 2007 and was cancelled in August 2008 after 2 series and 20 episodes were broadcast. ''Casualty'' has produced 19 special episodes, including the first

webisode A webisode (portmanteau of "web" and "episode") is an episode of a series that is distributed as part of a web series or on streaming television. It is available as either for download or in streaming, as opposed to first airing on broadcast or c ...

commissioned for a BBC continuing drama. Belinda Campbell, who executively produced the drama between 2007 and 2011, thought that webisodes would be a "new ayto add value for our loyal fans", something which the team constantly look to do. ''Casualty'' filmed a sketch for charity

telethon A telethon (a portmanteau of "television" and "marathon") is a televised fundraising event that lasts many hours or even days, the purpose of which is to raise money for a charitable, political or other purportedly worthy cause. Most telethons f ...

'' Children in Need'' in 2009, featuring charity mascot Pudsey Bear. In 2010, cast members on the show filmed a tribute to BBC

soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...

'' and ''

Blue Peter ''Blue Peter'' is a British children's television entertainment programme created by John Hunter Blair. It is the longest-running children's TV show in the world, having been broadcast since October 1958. It was broadcast primarily from BBC Tel ...

'' presenter

Joel Defries Joel Nirmalan Defries (born 14 March 1985) is a British-born presenter, who worked on the BBC One children's programme '' Blue Peter'' from 2008 to 2010. He previously worked on the New Zealand television station, C4. Career Born in Hammersmi ...

presented a segment of the show from the ''Casualty'' set. To celebrate ''Casualty'' thirtieth anniversary, original cast members Derek Thompson and

Cathy Shipton Catherine Ellen Shipton (born 27 March 1957) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Lisa "Duffy" Duffin in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty''. After leaving the series in 2020, she has since appeared in the Channel 4 soap opera ...

filmed a special episode, " Back to Ours", showing moments from their careers on the show. Webisodes have been created to explore characters in more detail: "

The Parting of the Ways "The Parting of the Ways" is the thirteenth episode and the season finale of the revived first series of the British science fiction television programme ''Doctor Who''. The episode was first broadcast on BBC One on 18 June 2005. It was the se ...

" focuses on Alistair (

Joe McFadden Joseph McFadden (born 9 October 1975) is a Scottish actor best known for his roles in ''The Crow Road,'' '' Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll, Heartbeat'' and '' Holby City.'' McFadden won the 2017 series of the BBC One series '' Strictly Come Dancing ...

); " Under Fire" details

Sam Nicholls Sam Nicholls is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama '' Casualty'', played by Charlotte Salt. She first appeared in the twenty-sixth series episode "Mea Culpa", broadcast on 15 October 2011. Sam is a former major in the Royal Army ...

' (Charlotte Salt) backstory; and " Scars and Nightmares" explores the backstory of

Iain Dean '' Casualty'' is a British medical drama television series that premiered on 6 September 1986 on BBC1. The series was created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin. It is set in the fictional Holby City Hospital, in the equally fictitious city of Ho ...

( Michael Stevenson). Other webisodes are designed to help progress storylines on the main show: "

Short Story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

" explores

Ruth Winters ''Casualty (TV series), Casualty'' is a British medical drama television series that premiered on 6 September 1986 on BBC1. The series was created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin (director), Paul Unwin. It is set in the fictional Holby City Hosp ...

' (

Georgia Taylor Georgia Taylor (born Claire Jackson; 26 February 1980) is an English actress. Her TV roles include Toyah Battersby in the ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'' (1997–2003, 2016–present), Ruth Winters in the BBC One medical drama series ' ...

) stay at the hospital's

psychiatric ward Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociative ...

; " Mistletoe and Rum" follows the secret relationship between

Tess Bateman Tess or TESS may refer to: Music * Tess (band), a Spanish pop band active from 2000 to 2005 * TESS (musician), a UK musician Film and theatre * ''Tess'' (1979 film), a 1979 film adaptation of '' Tess of the d'Urbervilles'' * ''Tess'' (2016 film) ...

(

Suzanne Packer Suzanne Packer (born Suzanne Jackson on 26 November 1962) is a Welsh actress, known for playing the role of Tess Bateman in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty'' from September 2003 to August 2015. She later returned to the series as a guest for th ...

) and Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher (

Alex Walkinshaw Alex Newcombe Walkinshaw (born 5 October 1974) is a British actor. He has played the long-running roles of Dale "Smithy" Smith in the ITV police procedural series ''The Bill'' and Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher in BBC medical dramas ''Casualty'' a ...

); " Nurse Factor" supports the introduction of four new student nurse characters; " Gone in Sixty Seconds" gives an insight into a bus crash; " Mrs Walker-To-Be" explores the night before

Zoe Hanna Zoe Hanna is a fictional character in BBC's medical drama ''Casualty'', portrayed by Sunetra Sarker. She first appeared in the series twenty-two episode "Take a Cup of Kindness", broadcast on 29 December 2007. The character was a consultant ...

(

Sunetra Sarker Sunetra Sarker (born 25 June 1973) is an English actress and presenter, known for her roles as Nisha Batra in '' Brookside'', Anji Mittel in ''No Angels'', Zoe Hanna in '' Casualty'' and Kaneez Paracha in ''Ackley Bridge''. In 2014, she took p ...

) and

Max Walker Maxwell Henry Norman Walker (12 September 1948 – 28 September 2016) was an Australian sportsman who played both cricket and Australian rules football at high levels. After six years of balancing first-class cricket in summer, professional f ...

's ( Jamie Davis) wedding; and " On Call" starts a storyline featuring Caleb Knight (

Richard Winsor Richard Winsor (born 4 January 1982) is a British actor and dancer. He is best known for his role as Caleb Knight in the long-running BBC television medical drama series's ''Casualty'' from January 2014 until April 2017, when his character wa ...

) being told he has a daughter. Some webisodes have been standalone and not followed in the main show: "

The Kids Aren't Alright "The Kids Aren't Alright" is a song by the Offspring. It is the fifth track from the band's fifth studio album, ''Americana'' (1998), and was released as its third single. It became another top 10 hit on the US Modern Rock Tracks chart. The so ...

" focuses on Jeff Collier's (

Matt Bardock Matthew Arthur Bardock was born in 1969 in Croydon. He is an English actor who is known for playing Jeff Collier in ''Casualty'', DS Clive Barnard in ''A Touch of Frost'', DS Davey Higgins in '' The Coroner'', Albie in '' The Lakes'', Mark Craig ...

) estrangement from his children; " The Spirit of Christmas" and "

The First Noel "The First Nowell", also known as "The First Noel (or Noël)", is a traditional English Christmas carol with Cornish origins, most likely from the early modern period, although possibly earlier.Radio Holby" sees Noel Garcia ( Tony Marshall) become the hospital's radio DJ.

Specials

Webisodes

The Parting of the Ways

"The Parting of the Ways" is an eight-minute

and the first webisode to be produced for BBC continuing dramas. The webisode was announced on 7 October 2009 and was released on 31 October. It is written by David Roden, directed by Simon Meyers and produced by Rebecca Hedderly. As

Polly Emmerson '' Casualty'' is a British medical drama television series that premiered on 6 September 1986 on BBC1. The series was created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin. It is set in the fictional Holby City Hospital, in the equally fictitious city of Ho ...

(

Sophia Di Martino Sophia Di Martino (born 15 November 1983) is an English actress known for portraying Sylvie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series ''Loki''. Early life and education Di Martino was born in Nottingham and grew up in the suburb of ...

) continues to be stalked by homeless man Alistair (

), the webisode follows the events between the series 24 episodes " Regrets" and "

Every Breath You Take "Every Breath You Take" is a song by the English rock band the Police from their album ''Synchronicity'' (1983). Written by Sting, the single was the biggest US and Canadian hit of 1983, topping the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart for ei ...

". The webisode, which is from the viewpoint of Alistair, focuses on the "gritty world of life on the streets" and Alistair's struggle with his mental well-being as Polly reports him to the police. Executive producer Belinda Campbell praised Di Martino, McFadden and Roden, and described the webisode as "a really special viewing opportunity for die-hard ''Casualty'' lovers". She thought that "The Parting of the Ways" would be a good alternative method of exploring a "a hitherto unseen world". She also described the special as "innovative". McFadden liked the alternative method of filming and enjoyed exploring his character in more detail. He also liked being able to portray a grittier version of the drama.

Short Story

"Short Story" is a two-part webisode focusing on

' (

) stay at the hospital's

. The first part of the webisode was released on 12 March 2011, and the second part of the webisode was released on 2 April 2011. The special is directed by Reza Moradi and produced by Nicola Larder. Part 1 of the webisode features physciatrist Andrew Brookfield (

Matthew Kelly Matthew Kelly (born David Allan Kelly, 9 May 1950) is an English actor and presenter. Having been trained as a theatre actor, he first came to public prominence as a television presenter of ITV light entertainment shows such as '' Game for a ...

) trying to bond with Ruth, while dealing with an upset patient and a delivery of a

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...

from an unstable patient. Taylor found herself not heavily involved in the first part of "Short Story" and is featured in the back of several scenes. Moradi was unsure about filming with a horse and wanted to use an alternative animal. Initially, Taylor wondered how they would include a horse in the scene, suggesting that they might use

computer-generated imagery Computer-generated imagery (CGI) is the use of computer graphics to create or contribute to images in art, printed media, video games, simulators, and visual effects in films, television programs, shorts, commercials, and videos. The images may ...

(CGI) or a "robotic horse". Kelly, who had

equinophobia Equinophobia or hippophobia is a psychological fear of horses. ''Equinophobia'' is derived from the Greek word φόβος (''phóbos''), meaning "fear" and the Latin word ''equus'', meaning "horse". The term ''hippophobia'' is also derived from the ...

, received a phone call from his agent, before he had read the script, and she informed him of the use of a horse. However, after meeting Billy, the horse used in filming, he called him "one of the most gorgeous creatures I have ever seen in my entire life". The horse was only used for one morning. Due to the use of a horse in filming, there were several

health and safety Occupational safety and health (OSH), also commonly referred to as occupational health and safety (OHS), occupational health, or occupational safety, is a multidisciplinary field concerned with the safety, health, and welfare of people at wo ...

procedures. Taylor stated that whenever she approached the horse, a health and safety officer would ask her to move away. Larder enjoyed the filming of "Short Story". Part 2 of the webisode follows Ruth as she struggles to adapt to her new environment and meets Carl, a man who is billed as "a mysterious stranger on the Psychiatric Ward" by a

BBC Online BBC Online, formerly known as BBCi, is the BBC's online service. It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and BBC Sport, Sport, the on-demand video and radio services branded BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, t ...

contributor. Taylor described Carl as a "charismatic ndenigmatic" character, who Ruth would become "intrigued" by. Before the release of the special, Taylor confirmed that there would be a "twist" at the end of Part 2. In the special, Ruth is encouraged to

think outside the box Thinking outside the box (also thinking out of the box or thinking beyond the box and, especially in Australia, thinking outside the square) is a metaphor that means to think differently, unconventionally, or from a new perspective. The phrase al ...

by Carl and at the end of the special, it is revealed that nurse

Charlie Fairhead Charlie Fairhead, played by Derek Thompson, is a fictional character from the BBC British medical drama ''Casualty''. He is the longest-serving character, having played the role of Charlie for over 36 years, and the only remaining original ch ...

( Derek Thompson) asked Carl, the ward's window cleaner, to speak to Ruth so that she would start taking her medication. The specials were filmed on-location over two days. Filming took place at the same location that the show used when filming the psychiatric ward for the main show. Taylor filmed on-location for four months and while she enjoyed the experience, she grew tired of using a honeywagon and missed her dressing room. To help him when rehearsing, Kelly colour coded his script, separating his lines, stage directions and voiceovers into different colours.

Under Fire

"Under Fire" is a webisode focusing on the backstory of

(Charlotte Salt), which was released on 14 April 2012. The webisode was announced on 28 March 2012, and follows Sam's experience as a medic at

Camp Bastion Camp Shorabak (formerly Camp Bastion) is a former British Army airbase, located northwest of the city of Lashkargah in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. The camp was situated in a remote desert area, far from population centres. The camp was built ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

before she joined

. Michael Stevenson makes his first appearance as Corporal Iain Dean in the special. Sam and Iain have an affair, which Salt described as "a moment of comfort". She explained that Sam and Iain were in "a different world out there in Afghanistan". As Sam treats victims of a suicide bombing, she becomes concerned when a patient becomes "agitated" and reaches for a device in their pocket. A show spokesperson explained that Sam makes a "split-second decision" with severe consequences. Producers created the special episode so they could "explain Sam's brusque bedside manner and brave but impulsive decision-making". The webisode was filmed at an Army barracks in Cardiff during Army training. Executive producer

Johnathan Young Johnathan Young is a British television producer. His credits include '' EastEnders'', ''Casualty'', '' Holby City'', ''The Bill'', ''The Sinking of the Laconia'', The Mill, Mamon, Pakt and Wataha. In June 2005 he was appointed Head of Drama at ...

wanted to explore the backstory and actions of Sam, whom he described as "one of he show'smost colourful characters", and felt that the webisode would be beneficial in doing so. He stated that it is obvious that Sam has "a troubled past" and hoped that they could explore Sam's secrets.

The Kids Aren't Alright

"The Kids Aren't Alright" is a webisode that was released on 21 July 2012 between

part one Part, parts or PART may refer to: People *Armi Pärt (born 1991), Estonian handballer * Arvo Pärt (born 1935), Estonian classical composer *Brian Part (born 1962), American child actor *Dealtry Charles Part (1882–1961), sheriff (1926–1927) a ...

and part two of the "#HolbyRiot" two-parter episodes, which were first broadcast on 21 July and 22 July respectively. The webisode was announced on 29 June 2012, when it was scheduled to be released on 14 July. "The Kids Aren't Alright" explores the relationship between married paramedics

Kathleen "Dixie" Dixon ''Casualty'' is a British medical drama television series that premiered on 6 September 1986 on BBC1. The series was created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin. It is set in the fictional Holby City Hospital, in the equally fictitious city of Hol ...

(

Jane Hazlegrove Sarah Jane Hazlegrove (born 17 July 1968) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Kathleen "Dixie" Dixon in the BBC medical drama ''Casualty''. She has also appeared as Rosie in ''Making Out'', Rosemary Mason in ''Silent Witness ...

) and Jeff Collier (

) and Jeff's estrangement from his children. When their ambulance becomes immobile due to the surrounding riots, rioter JJ (Sami Larabi) escapes from police custody and hides in the ambulance. A fight between Jeff and JJ erupts, leaving Jeff injured. As Dixie treats Jeff, he discusses his estrangement from his children, stating that they are estranged because Jeff has not informed them about his sham marriage to Dixie. Dixie is "shocked" by Jeff's confession and persuades him to contact his children. Young wanted to explore Jeff and Dixie's marriage and felt that the webisode gave him the opportunity to do this. On creating webisodes, Young commented, "We're always looking for new ways to add value for our loyal fans".

Mistletoe and Rum

"Mistletoe and Rum" is a webisode focusing on the relationship between nurses

(

) and Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher (

), which was released on 15 December 2012. The webisode was announced on 12 December, and is directed by cast member

. It follows the ED's nursing staff celebrating Christmas at the pub, and as the nursing staff celebrate, Fletch and Tess spend time together outside the pub. They are interrupted by a homeless man who needs emergency treatment when he goes into a hypoglycaemic coma. Young wanted to explore Tess and Fletch's relationship further and thought that the webisode was "an ideal opportunity" to do that. He looked forward to the audience reaction to the webisode. Sarker found directing the webisode a challenge, although she found it enjoyable and liked working with each department. She added, "It's a treat for all the fans that follow the show. I was thrilled to be able to make it."

Nurse Factor

"Nurse Factor" is a webisode created to introduce four new student nurse characters — Ally Hunter (Rebecca Newman),

Aoife O'Reilly ''Casualty'' is a British medical drama television series that premiered on 6 September 1986 on BBC1. The series was created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin. It is set in the fictional Holby City Hospital, in the equally fictitious city of Hol ...

(

Gemma-Leah Devereux Gemma-Leah Devereux (born 9 August 1990) is an Irish actress. She is known for playing Liza Minnelli in the biographical drama film '' Judy'' (2019) opposite Renée Zellweger. Also as Lady Fitzgerald in the fourth and final season of the telev ...

Jamie Collier ''Casualty'' is a British medical drama television series that premiered on 6 September 1986 on BBC1. The series was created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin. It is set in the fictional Holby City Hospital, in the equally fictitious city of Holb ...

( Daniel Anthony) and

Robyn Miller Robyn Charles Miller (born August 6, 1966) is the co-founder of Cyan Worlds (originally Cyan) with brother Rand Miller. He served as co-designer of the popular computer game ''Myst'', which held the title of best-selling computer game from it ...

(Amanda Henderson) — to the series in January 2013. The webisode follows the student nurses on the night before their first shift in the ED. Producers also created Twitter accounts for each character to provide a "dramatic insight into the characters' thoughts and feelings". Young decided to create the webisode as he believed it would suit the theme of the Twitter accounts. He also felt the webisode would be "a great opportunity" for the audience to understand the characters.

Gone in Sixty Seconds

"Gone in Sixty Seconds" is a webisode featuring paramedics Jeff Collier (Bardock) and Kathleen "Dixie" Dixon (Hazlegrove) arriving at the site of a coach crash. The webisode was announced on 3 January 2013, and was released on 5 January. The coach contains schoolchildren returning from a skiing trip. An official episode synopsis states that Jeff would be shocked and unprepared by the coach crash.

Scars and Nightmares

"Scars and Nightmares" is a webisode marking

Remembrance Day Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...

and focusing on the backstory of Iain Dean (Stevenson), which was released on 2 November 2013. The special was announced on 1 November, and sees Iain and Sam Nicholls (Salt) visit former colleague Kenny in a PTSD rehabilitation centre. Iain and Sam's relationship is also revisited. Executive producer Oliver Kent wanted to explore the backstory and relationship shared between Iain and Sam, and thought that the special was "a great opportunity" to do that and provide the audience with "something extra".

The Spirit of Christmas

"The Spirit of Christmas" is a Christmas-themed webisode focusing on

Big Mac The Big Mac is a hamburger sold by the international fast food restaurant chain McDonald's. It was introduced in the Greater Pittsburgh Region, Greater Pittsburgh area in 1967 and across the United States in 1968. It is one of the company's fl ...

(

Charles Dale Charles Dale (born 4 February 1963) is a Welsh actor known for playing Big Mac in ''Casualty'', Dennis Stringer in ''Coronation Street'', Gary "Chef" Alcock in '' The Lakes'' and Clive Eustace in '' The Eustace Bros.'' He was born in Tenby, Pe ...

) and Noel Garcia ( Tony Marshall) as they solve a festive mystery after a night of drinking. Noel believes that he has spotted a

reindeer Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...

in their lounge and Big Mac believes that he has seen a

Christmas elf In English-speaking cultures, a Christmas elf is a diminutive elf that lives with Santa Claus at the North Pole and acts as his helper. Christmas elves are usually depicted as green- or red-clad, with large, pointy ears and wearing pointy hats. T ...

in their bathroom. When they search their house, they discover Ania, a young woman hiding in the bathroom. Kent stated that Mac and Noel become "anxious detectives" as they try to understand who is in the bathroom. He added, "This exclusive Red Button episode gives an insight into just what happens the morning after the night before, but with a festive twist."

Radio Holby

"Radio Holby" is a two-part webisode following Noel Garcia (Marshall) becoming the DJ at the hospital's radio station. Team researcher Ross Southard pitched the webisodes "Radio Holby" to producers in 2014, who accepted his idea. Since pitching the idea, Southard has won the "Team Member of the Year" award at the BBC Production Awards. "Radio Holby" is directed by Kodjo Tsakpo, while Simon Walton acts as the

director of photography The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the photographing or recording of a film, television production, music video or other live action piece. The cinematographer is the ch ...

. Part one of the webisodes is written by script editor Simon Norman, and part two is written by Southard. Part one of the special was released on 18 October, and the second part was released on 25 October. The special sees Noel try to boost team morale following the death of Jeff Collier (Bardock) by becoming the hospital DJ, a dream he has wanted to achieve. Southard described the process as "a fantastic experience" and said that he felt grateful to be offered the chance to publish his idea. Series producer Erika Hossington expressed her delight at the webisode being commissioned and praised the team, who described as "some fantastic talent", and their "passion, enthusiasm and dedication". She added, "the end result is a real treat for our website visitors and fans."

Mrs Walker-To-Be

"Mrs Walker-To-Be" is a webisode released on 22 August 2015, focusing on

(Sarker) and

( Jamie Davis) on the night before their wedding. The webisode coincides with the finale of series 29, and is directed by John Quarrell and written by Sarah Beeson. Seven cast members feature in the special, which continues in the following episode. Zoe has her

hen do A bachelorette party (United States and Canada) or hen night (United Kingdom, UK, Republic of Ireland, Ireland and Australia) is a party held for a woman (the bride or bride-to-be) who will soon be Marriage, married. While Beth Montemurro conclud ...

interrupted by Max's mother Greta Miller (

Kazia Pelka Kazia Pelka (born 1962) is a British actress who has worked primarily in UK television, appearing in the soap opera series Brookside in the early 1990s, the period police drama series '' Heartbeat'' in the late 1990s, the police procedural seri ...

), which could "reawaken Zoe's doubts" over her marriage to Max. Meanwhile, Max is admitted to the ED in a "surprising" twist, which could mean that Max is delayed in getting to the register office.

On Call

"On Call" is a webisode focusing on Caleb Knight (

) as his former girlfriend Taylor Ashbie (

Sarah Jayne Dunn Sarah Jayne Dunn (born 25 September 1981) is an English actress, known for portraying the role of Mandy Richardson on the Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' from 1996 until 2021. In November 2021, Dunn was dropped from ''Hollyoaks'' after she ...

) returns and introduces him to his daughter. The webisode was announced in October 2015, and was released on 10 October. A press release stated that Taylor "definitely leaves her mark" when she arrives in

Holby Holby is a fictional city in the United Kingdom, the setting for the BBC medical dramas '' Casualty'' and ''Holby City'', and the police drama ''HolbyBlue''. It is based on the real city of Bristol, where ''Casualty'' was formerly filmed, and is ...

and that Cal would get "more than he bargained for when Taylor presents him with a baby". Winsor explained that Cal's feelings for Taylor "come flooding back" after she returns. The actor called the webisode "essential viewing". The special sets up a major storyline for Caleb and his brother

Ethan Hardy Ethan Hardy is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama ''Casualty'', played by actor George Rainsford. He first appeared in the series twenty-eight episode "Bad Timing", broadcast on 11 January 2014. Rainsford's casting was announced ...

( George Rainsford).

The First Noel

"The First Noel" is a Christmas-themed webisode released on 24 December 2016. It was announced on 21 December on the show's Twitter account. It focuses on Noel finding where the staff Christmas party is being held, and features cast members dressed as

Pantomime Pantomime (; informally panto) is a type of musical comedy stage production designed for family entertainment. It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking ...

characters. Hossington also features in the special, while all cast and crew feature in a Christmas message to fans of the show.

Charity specials

Children in Need special

''Casualty'' cast members filmed a special sketch for charity

'' Children in Need'' in 2009. The special sees charity mascot Pudsey Bear admitted to the hospital as a patient and treated by Adam Trueman (

Tristan Gemmill Tristan John Gemmill (born 6 June 1967) is an English actor, most notable for his roles as Dr Adam Trueman on '' Casualty'', and Robert Preston in ''Coronation Street''. He was educated at Holmewood House School, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, up ...

) and

(

) on a ward for teddy bears.

Jay Faldren '' Casualty'' is a British medical drama television series that premiered on 6 September 1986 on BBC1. The series was created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin. It is set in the fictional Holby City Hospital, in the equally fictitious city of H ...

( Ben Turner) is sceptical of the ward and helps Pudsey Bear's health by raising money for the charity.

Other specials

EastEnders special

To celebrate 25 years of BBC

'', five members of the ''Casualty'' cast filmed a special to congratulate them. The special was first shown during '' EastEnders Live: The Aftermath'', a live show broadcast following ''EastEnders'' live episode.

Michael French Michael French (born Michael Clark, 17 September 1962) is an English actor, known for his roles as David Wicks in ''EastEnders''; Nick Jordan, a consultant and Clinical Lead, Senior Consultant in emergency medicine in ''Casualty'' and former ca ...

, who appears in ''Casualty'' as Nick Jordan, stars in the special and gives a nod to his ''EastEnders'' character,

David Wicks David Wicks is a fictional character from the BBC TV soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Michael French. David originally appeared from 23 December 1993 to 21 November 1996. He returned to the show on 1 January 2012 and departed two weeks later ...

, in a scene.

Blue Peter special

In an episode of

children's television show Children's television series (or children's television shows) are television programs designed for children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run during the early evenin ...

'', first broadcast on 10 March 2010, presenter

visits the set of ''Casualty''. An official episode synopsis stated that Defries would reenact a scene from the show.

Back to Ours

"Back to Ours" is an online special which coincides with the show celebrating 30 years in production. ''Back to Ours'', a concept based on ''

Gogglebox ''Gogglebox'' is a British reality television series created by Stephen Lambert, Tania Alexander and Tim Harcourt, and broadcast on Channel 4. The series documents families and groups of friends around the United Kingdom who are filmed for thei ...

'' and first adopted by ''EastEnders'', features actors Derek Thompson (

) and

(

Lisa "Duffy" Duffin Lisa "Duffy" Duffin is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama ''Casualty'', played by Cathy Shipton. Duffy was created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin as one of the serial's ten original characters. Shipton received her audition ju ...

) watching a selection of their "most memorable scenes". The special was announced on 18 August 2016 and was released two days later. In the special, the actors discuss ''Casualty'' being debated in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

as well as Hollywood actress

Kate Winslet Kate Elizabeth Winslet (; born 5 October 1975) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films, particularly period dramas, and for her portrayals of headstrong and complicated women, she has received numerous accolades, incl ...

's guest appearance in 1993.

Specials

Webisodes

The Parting of the Ways

Short Story

Under Fire

The Kids Aren't Alright

Mistletoe and Rum

Nurse Factor

Gone in Sixty Seconds

Scars and Nightmares

The Spirit of Christmas

Radio Holby

Mrs Walker-To-Be

On Call

The First Noel

Charity specials

Children in Need special

Other specials

EastEnders special

Blue Peter special

Back to Ours

References

External links