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Casualty (TV series)

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|- ! Network | BBC 1 |- ! Creator(s) | Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin |- |- class="hiddenStructure" ! Executive Producer(s) | |- |- class="hiddenStructure" ! Head Writer | |- |- class="hiddenStructure" ! Senior cast member(s) | |- |- class="hiddenStructure" ! Distributor | |- ! Running time | |- ! Premiere date | |- class="hiddenStructure" ! Alternate titles | |- class="hiddenStructure" | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [ Casualty Offical Website]''' |- class="hiddenStructure" | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [IMDb profile] |- class="hiddenStructure" | colspan="2" style="text-align: center;" | [TV.com summary] |- |}

Casualty is a long-running BBC television drama series, first broadcast in 1986 and transmitted on BBC One. It was devised by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin. The programme is based around the fictional Holby City Hospital, situated in Holby, a fictional city bearing a close resemblance to Bristol where the show is filmed. Bristol landmarks, including the docks and the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge, are regularly glimpsed in the outdoor scenes. The exterior shots of the hospital were formerly filmed at the city's technical college, but are now shot on a small industrial estate, not far from the interior set of the hospital.

The drama is concerned with a group of doctors, nurses and administrators who work in the Accident & Emergency department. At the centre of the action is Nurse Manager Charlie Fairhead (played by Derek Thompson), a dedicated and caring man frequently at odds with the demands of hospital management. This has been a recurring theme over the years, but especially in the early series, which were frequently criticised for endorsing criticisms of National Health Service management under the Conservative government of the day.

The programme has traditionally been transmitted on Saturday nights, although for a period in the late 1980s it switched to Fridays. Since 2001, popularity of the show forced a switch from a traditional seasonal format to almost year-round production and transmission. During the recent series, the run has been artificially extended with Casualty being replaced in the schedule for several weeks, with the breaks between series being only 1 week. A spin-off show, Holby City, depicts life elsewhere in the same hospital. Due to the large number of episodes, some viewers have felt the storylines are becoming increasingly repetitive and predictable, although it remains one of the most watched television shows.

Filming for Casualty at a school in Yate near Bristol. The actress on the right is Susan Cookson (Maggie Coldwell in the series) who joined the cast on 29th January 2005. The four males are crew
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Filming for Casualty at a school in Yate near Bristol. The actress on the right is Susan Cookson (Maggie Coldwell in the series) who joined the cast on 29th January 2005. The four males are crew

Susan Cookson (Maggie Coldwell) during filming
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Susan Cookson (Maggie Coldwell) during filming

In December 2004, a 2-part special Casualty @ Holby City was broadcast, with the two shows combining to cope with a petrol tanker crashing into the Hospital. Most of the filming was done on Holby City's interior & exterior sets, as Casualty is filmed in Bristol whereas Holby City is shot at the BBC Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire. A second special (with the same name, but shot in Bristol) was broadcast in August 2005 to promote organ donation; viewers were asked to choose between two patients waiting for a heart transplant.

To draw more viewers over Bank Holidays, Christmas etc, two-part specials are shown, where the first hour is the build-up to a major accident eg, train crash, nuclear waste spill, lorry explosion etc, which inevitably stretches the hospital to the limit and results in multiple deaths and injuries.

Contents

Opening Titles

Series 1 - Series 3: [BBCi link]

Series 4 - Series 7: [BBCi link]

Series 8 - Series 11: [BBCi link]

Series 12 - Series 14: [BBCi link]

Series 15: [BBCi link]

Series 16: [BBCi link]

Series 17 - Series 2?: [BBCi link]

Current Cast

The following characters appear regularly in the programme as of April 8th 2006.

portrayed by Derek Thompson portrayed by Ian Bleasdale, from 4x01 portrayed by Martina Laird, from 16x01 portrayed by Simon MacCorkindale, from 16x37 portrayed by Suzanne Packer, from 18x01 portrayed by James Redmond, from 18x05 portrayed by Rebekah Gibbs, from 18x41 portrayed by Elizabeth Carling, from 17x25 to 17x30; from 19x01 portrayed by Georgina Bouzova, from 19x03 portrayed by Luke Bailey, from 19x05 portrayed by Elyes Gabel, from 19x08 portrayed by Susan Cookson, from 19x22 portrayed by Janine Mellor, from 19x45 portrayed by Ben Price, from 20x15 portrayed by Sam Grey, from 20x31 Departing cast

Original Cast

The following characters starred in the first episode, which aired September 6th 1986.

portrayed by Bernard Gallagher, to 3x05 portrayed by Julia Watson, to 1x15; from 9x20 to 12x26; from 18x12 to 18x19 portrayed by Derek Thompson portrayed by Brenda Fricker, to 5x13; 12x25 and 12x26 portrayed by George Harris, to 1x15 portrayed by Cathy Shipton, to 8x13; 12x25 and 12x26; from 13x04 to 17x31 portrayed by Lisa Bowerman, to 2x04 portrayed by Robert Pugh, to 2x06 portrayed by Debbie Roza, to 2x15 portrayed by Christopher Rozycki, to 3x10

Former Cast

The following characters formerly appeared on the show regularly. Not included on this list are the Original Cast (see above), and those, having rejoined, now on the 'Current Cast' list

portrayed by Maureen O'Brien, from 2x01 to 2x15 portrayed by Helena Little, from 2x01 to 2x15 portrayed by Eddie Nestor, from 2x02 to 4x12 portrayed by Kate Hardie, from 2x02 to 2x10 portrayed by Ella Wilder, from 2x07 to 3x10 portrayed by Geoffrey Leesley, from 2x05 to 5x?? portrayed by Susan Franklyn, from 3x01 to 4x12 portrayed by Paul Lacoux, from 3x01 to 3x10 portrayed by Julie Graham, from 3x01 to 3x10 portrayed by Shaheen Khan, from 3x01 to 3x10 portrayed by Carol Leader, from 3x01 to 3x10 portrayed by William Gaminara, from 4x01 to 4x04; from 7x16 to 7x24 portrayed by Philip Bretherton, from 15x12 to 15x35 portrayed by Tam Hoskyns, from 4x01 to 4x12 portrayed by Belinda Davison, from 4x01 to 4x12 portrayed by Vivienne McKone, from 4x01 to 4x12 portrayed by Robson Green, from 4x01 to 6x15 portrayed by Nigel le Vaillant, from 5x01 to 7x14 portrayed by Mamta Kaash, from 5x01 to 6x15 portrayed by Patrick Robinson, from 5x01 to 10x24; 12x25 and 12x26 portrayed by Maggie McCarthy, from 5x01 to 5x13 portrayed by Eamon Boland, from 5x01 to 5x10 portrayed by Caroline Webster, from 5x02 to 8x24 portrayed by Adie Allen, from 6x01 to 6x09 portrayed by Annie Kristen, from 6x01 to 8x06 portrayed by Maria Friedman, from 6x03 to 6x15 portrayed by Maureen Beattie, from 6x11 to 7x24 portrayed by Joanna Foster, from 7x01 to 7x08 portrayed by Jason Riddington, from 7x01 to 7x24 portrayed by Emma Bird, from 7x01 to 7x24 portrayed by Robert Daws, from 7x06 to 7x24 portrayed by Clive Mantle, from 7x09 to 8x09; from 8x13 to 9x20; from 10x01 to 10x21; from 11x01 to 11x10; 12x25 and 12x26 portrayed by Oliver Parker, from 8x01 to 8x18 portrayed by Suzanna Hamilton, from 8x01 to 8x17 portrayed by Dona Croll, from 8x01 to 8x24 portrayed by Christopher Guard, from 8x01 to 8x07 portrayed by Samantha Edmonds, from 8x02 to 8x10 portrayed by Naoko Mori, from 8x02 to 8x24 portrayed by Steven O'Donnell, from 8x02 to 8x24 portrayed by Brendan O'Hea, from 8x09 to 8x19 portrayed by David Ryall, from 8x10 to 8x13 portrayed by Tara Moran, from 8x12 to 8x24 portrayed by Martin Ball, from 8x15 to 8x24 portrayed by Jane Gurnett, from 8x16 to 10x21 portrayed by Joan Oliver, from 9x01 to 9x24 portrayed by Sorcha Cusack, from 9x01 to 12x10 portryaed by Steven Brand, from 9x01 to 9x24 portrayed by Jason Merrells, from 9x01 to 11x24 portrayed by Lisa Coleman, from 9x02 to 11x24 portrayed by Sue Devaney, from 9x10 to 12x12 portrayed by Craig Kelly, from 10x01 to 10x24 portrayed by Lizzy McInnerny, from 10x01 to 10x24 portrayed by Robert Duncan, from 10x02 to 10x20 portrayed by Gray O'Brien, from 11x01 to 12x26 portrayed by Ganiat Kasumu, from 11x01 to 11x24 portrayed by Vas Blackwood, from 11x01 to 11x24 portrayed by Jonathan Kerrigan, from 11x02 to 14x05 portrayed by Peter Birch, from 11x11 to 12x11 portrayed by Peter Guinness, from 12x01 to 12x26 portrayed by Rebecca Lacey, from 12x01 to 13x28 portrayed by Paterson Joseph, from 12x01 to 13x18 portrayed by Claire Goose, from 12x01 to 14x30 portrayed by Rebecca Wheatley, from 12x01 to 15x29 portrayed by Vincenzo Pellegrino, from 12x01 to 14x07 portrayed by Barbara Marten, from 12x13 to 14x08 portrayed by Donna Alexander, from 12x13 to 15x36 portrayed by Bob Gwilym, from 13x01 to 16x36 portrayed by Gerald Kyd, from 13x01 to 14x30 portrayed by Jan Anderson, from 13x01 to 16x20 portrayed by Pal Aron, from 13x01 to 15x06 portrayed by Sandra Huggett, from 14x01 to 15x36 portrayed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, from 14x09 to 19x05 portrayed by Michelle Butterly, from 14x09 to 15x36 portrayed by Ronnie McCann, from 14x12 to 15x36 portrayed by Ian Kelsey, from 14x15 to 16x28 portrayed by Ben Keaton, from 15x01 to 16x40 portrayed by Grant Masters, from 15x01 to 15x36 portrayed by Adjoa Andoh, from 15x01 to 17x38 portrayed by Kieron Forsyth, from 15x14 to 15x36 portrayed by Ziat Sattar, from 15x28 to 18x03 portrayed by Will Mellor, from 15x31 to 17x40 portrayed by Dan Rymer, from 16x01 to 17x40 portrayed by Kelly Harrison, from 16x01 to 18x40 portrayed by Amy Robbins, from 15x01 to 16x15 portrayed by Christine Stephen-Daly, from 16x03 to 18x46 portrayed by Judy Loe, from 16x03 to 16x08 portrayed by Lee Warburton, from 16x11 to 17x40 portrayed by Fiona Gillies, from 16x14 to 16x19 portrayed by Emily Dormer, from 16x24 to 16x30 portrayed by Christopher Colquhoun, from 16x29 to 18x46 portrayed by Loo Brealey, from 16x32 to 19x03 portrayed by Ashlie Walker, from 17x01 to 17x?? (guest) portrayed by Holly Davidson, from 18x01 to 18x34 portrayed by Nicole Faraday, from 17x02 to 17x10 portrayed by Russell Boulter, from 17x03 to 17x31 portrayed by Orlando Seale, from 17x17 to 17x40 portrayed by Sebastian Dunn, from 18x01 to 18x03 portrayed by Sarah Manners, from 17x22 to 19x44 portrayed by Matt Wait, from 17x32 to 20x38 portrayed by Maxwell Caulfield, from 18x02 to 19x17 portrayed by Leanne Wilson, from 18x03 to 19x48 portrayed by Will Thorp, from 19x14 to 20x17 portrayed by Mark Bonnar, from 20x01 to 20x24

Deaths

In recent years the number of deaths has risen dramatically:

Episode List

(Season One) - 1986

  1. Gas
  2. Hide and Seek
  3. Night Runners
  4. Jump Start
  5. Blood Brothers
  6. High Noon
  7. Professionals
  8. Crazies
  9. Moonlight Becomes You
  10. Teeny Poppers
  11. Drunk
  12. Quiet
  13. No Future
  14. Survival
  15. Closure
(Season Two) - 1987

  1. A Little Lobbying
  2. A Drop of the Hard Stuff
  3. Shades of Love
  4. Cry for Help
  5. Anaconda
  6. Lifelines
  7. The Raid
  8. Cross Fingers
  9. Seeking Heat
  10. Rock-a-Bye-Baby
  11. Hooked
  12. Fun Night
  13. Peace Brother
  14. Burning Cases
  15. These Things Happen

DVD Release

Casualty Series 1 DVD release
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Casualty Series 1 DVD release

Casualty is released on DVD (Region 2, UK) by 2 Entertain/Cinema Club. The first series was released on 10 April 2006. Series two is scheduled for release on 10 July, with the third series to follow on 11 September.

See also

External links

Citations

 

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