Casualty has dropped their Winter trailer and it doesn’t disappoint.
The medical drama’s return to BBC One on 30 December 2023 at 9.15pm will mark the first of a new ‘box set’ chapter - i.e. a fresh series of 12 themed episodes. To date with the new format we’ve had In Plain Sight, Welcome to the Warzone and Driving Force.
Now the shocking new trailer heralds the arrival of A History of Violence and it’s not pulling any punches.
Here’s a run-down of how the future looks for Casualty fan favourites in 2024…
Casualty trailer reveals
Charlie Fairhead
He’s been Holby ED’s figurehead since 1986, but it’s no secret that Charlie Fairhead is preparing to hang up his scrubs. As the series ramps up to his exit storyline, the one thing that we know for certain is that Charlie (Derek Thompson) will not be strolling down a peaceful path to retirement.
The new trailer opens with a flashback referencing the very first episode of Casualty and the iconic initial glimpse of younger Charlie with his trademark coat and canary yellow car.
It then shows the senior medic looking stunned as violence erupts in the ED, concerned that a police officer appears to be a permanent fixture at the hospital, and raises a big question mark over the veteran medic when consultant Stevie Nash is arrested for grievous bodily harm!
Stevie Nash
The frontline isn’t for the fainthearted and if the new trailer is anything to go by we’re going to see consultant Stevie Nash pushed to her limits.
In the trailer we see Stevie (Elinor Lawless) unimpressed with the arrival of former Casualty medic Zoe Hanna (returning star Sunetra Sarker), blaming herself for something to do with junior nurse Ryan Firth (Eddie-Joe Robinson) and, ultimately, arrested at work for grievous bodily harm and unceremoniously escorted from the ED… We have so many questions!
Max Cristie
He’s currently the ED clinical lead, but due to his secret kidney failure diagnosis, Max Cristie has lost his professional dynamism.
With the clock ticking on his health, Max (Nigel Harman) has some major decisions to make…Does daughter Jodie Whyte (Anna Chell) hold the key to his survival?
Like Derek Thompson, Nigel’s departure from Casualty is a well-known fact and in the trailer we get some tantalising clues as to how he makes his (most-definitely) dramatic exit…
There are scenes of Max collapsing at work, his mother Stella Lawson (Kate Williams) admitted as a patient, and touching moments with his daughter Jodie Whyte (Anna Chell). But it's a warning from Dylan Keogh that stands out most from the trailer, when he tells Max: “If you continue to push yourself like this you're going to die.”
Faith Cadogan
Advanced clinical practitioner Faith Cadogan has recently been on a life-or-death rollercoaster of drug addiction.
Fans have been rooting for Faith (Kirsty Mitchell) to get clean and in the trailer it’s revealed that she’s back at work… But it looks like her nearest and dearest are having trouble trusting her.
The big question for our more romantic readers is, will paramedic Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson) give her a second chance? If the trailer is anything to go by it looks like love could be in the air for these two!
On the other hand, the trailer raises another question - could Faith’s road to recovery be derailed after she’s assaulted by a patient?
Dylan Keogh and Zoe Hanna
It’s already known that Sunetra Sarker will be reprising the role of Zoe Hanna as part of Charlie’s exit storyline, but by the looks of this trailer, could this be more than a flying visit?
There are loads of reasons for fans to hope that is the case - her arrival (characteristically late) ruffles feathers, Stevie certainly isn’t happy to see her, and it also reunites her with chum Dylan Keogh!
Rash Masum
Fans already know that Rash Masum is in a heartbreaking situation. The lovely doctor has been working intense shifts in order to pay for a care home to look after his father Ashok, who has dementia. But everyone has a breaking point…
At one point during the trailer we believe we’ve spotted panicked Rash (Neet Mohan) racing through the hospital corridors. In happier scenes we also see his friend, nurse Rida Amaan (Sarah Seggari), joyfully dancing with Ashok (Kriss Dosanjh), which sends mixed messages about the medic’s future. Something tells us that Rash is in for a time of unsettling uncertainty…
Siobhan McKenzie
The ED survives by welcoming new blood on a regular basis and with former clinical nurse manager Donna Jackson (Jaye Jacobs) currently doing a prison sentence for dangerous driving, it’s been announced that a new character called Siobhan McKenzie will be taking over her medical role.
In the trailer we get an intriguing first look at how the ED may operate under Siobhan (Melanie Hill), who makes a strong first impression. Top moment from the trailer? Berating the junior nurses for calling her a ballbreaker!
Joking aside, with the ED in chaos and seemingly an increasingly unsafe working environment, only time will tell if Siobhan is the right person for a trying job in difficult times…
Other big questions from Casualty’s Winter 2023 trailer…
Do our eyes deceive us, or is that Jodie kissing paramedic Teddy Gowan (Milo Clarke)? Yes, the same Teddy who is engaged to doctor Paige Allcott (Shalisha James-Davis)...!
Jan Jenning (Di Botcher) is back at work, which means she hasn’t been suspended or lost her job after being arrested for helping her ex-husband Gethin West (Robert Pugh) with his assisted death abroad. Or does it?
And, most worryingly of all, there’s a quick glimpse of Charlie Fairhead’s hospital pass covered in blood…
Wait, there's more!
Since the trailer went live last night (Wednesday 07 December 2023) the BBC Press Office have released more information!
From BBC Press:
"Iain (Michael Stevenson) steps up for Natalia (Zoe Brough) as Faith (Kirsty Mitchell) navigates her road through recovery. But an unhealthy obsession threatens to send Faith back into the throes of addiction.
"Rash (Neet Mohan) enlists Rida (Sarah Seggari) to help care for his father Ashok (Kriss Dosanjh) who has dementia. But even with support, Rash must face the ultimate test of whether he can balance his personal and professional life.
"We also welcome new cast members Melanie Hill and Adesuwa Oni to the ER. Melanie Hill (Coronation Street, Waterloo Road, The Syndicate) joins as Clinical Nurse Manager Siobhan Mackenzie, a no-nonsense team leader who looks set to ruffle a few feathers. Whilst Adesuwa Oni (Netflix’s African Queens: Njinga, No Shade) plays nurse Ngozi who has recently moved to the UK from Nigeria."
Casualty, you know how to keep us guessing!
Watch the Casualty Winter trailer in full here here
#Casualty returns.Saturday 30th December 9:15pm on @BBCOne #HistoryOfViolence pic.twitter.com/vyhgXTb8kaDecember 6, 2023
Our catch up guide for when Casualty returns to BBC1 on 30 December at 9.15pm
