The Casualty anniversary has arrived!
The traditional gift for a 35th anniversary is coral, but BBC1’s long-running medical drama has decided to celebrate its big day with twists, turns and time travel instead!
The feature-length episode titled ‘Begin Again’, airs this Saturday (BBC1, 8.45pm, Saturday 14 August 2021 - See our TV Guide for listings), and picks up one month after Fenisha Khatri and Lev Malinovsky’s devastating deaths, with the Holby ED staff in mourning…
With guest cameos by former Casualty favourites - registrar Cal (Richard Winsor), health care assistant Big Mac (Charles Dale) and receptionist Noel (Tony Marshall) - plus the arrival of two newbies in the form of outrageous consultant Stevie (ex-Eastenders star Elinor Lawless) and cheeky paramedic Teddy (rising star Milo Clarke), this anniversary special promises to kickstart an exciting new chapter in the show’s history!
Full Casualty spoilers below.
Casualty anniversary: Faith struggles
The Casualty anniversary special sees Lev’s wife Faith Cadogan (Kirsty Mitchell) back at work, but keeping in close contact with her three children through constant phone calls and evening plans encouraging them to remember their dad.
Thoughtful paramedic Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson) is concerned for her, and offers to keep Faith company… will she take him up on his offer of some adult company?
Watch out - new consultant Stevie Nash is about!
In a state of panic new ED consultant Stevie Nash wakes up after a one-night stand and makes her way to Holby Hospital for her first shift.
Despite her lateness, Stevie is pretty blasé with acting clinical lead Dylan Keogh (William Beck). As she scopes out the ED it looks like he’s met his match in terms of bluntness!
Stevie and Faith’s shared past revealed...
Faith is shocked when her old university friend turns up in the ED and, quite frankly, doesn’t seem overly happy to see Stevie again.
Faith’s even less impressed with Stevie mocks David Hide (Jason Durr) behind his back while blatantly showing interest in paediatrician Matthew Afolami (Osi Okerafor)
Faith’s anger towards Stevie eventually bubbles over when the pair set off on a mission to find a patient’s missing father. The ED nurse accuses her former pal of being a rubbish friend and spells out why they've not spoken in years!
Ethan Hardy collapses
Elsewhere, Fenisha’s fiancé, Ethan Hardy (George Rainsford) is deep in grief over her death.
When Charlie Fairhead (original cast member Derek Thompson) finds him collapsed at home, heartbroken Ethan is urgently admitted to Holby ED.
While being cared for by his concerned colleagues Ethan falls into a fever dream where he’s visited by his murdered brother Cal Knight (special guest star Richard Winsor), who brings him back to a crucial shift in 2016!
Cal desperately wants Ethan to remember what happened that day, involving deceased receptionist Noel Garcia (Tony Marshall), former health care assistant Big Mac (Charles Dale), nurse Jade Lovall (Gabriella Leon) and - wait for it - Stevie Nash!
Faith softens towards Stevie
Meanwhile, during her adventure with Stevie in the present day, Faith realises she’s on the verge of suffocating her children with grief for Lev, and agrees to let them spend the evening with friends and family instead of actively remembering their dad.
At a loose end, Faith goes for a drink with Stevie, where she opens up about Lev, his sexuality, and her affair with a certain co-worker.
Stevie instantly guesses that Faith is talking about Dylan and in turn reveals she’s got her eye on the clinical lead post!
Charlie Fairhead goes fishing!
It’s an exciting anniversary episode for original character Charlie Fairhead.
It starts off calmly with Charlie (Derek Thomspon) delighted to see Robyn Miller back at work after her holiday with her old school friend Paul.
Quietly, behind the scenes Charlie is keeping an eye on his grieving friends, particularly Ethan, baby Bodhi, and paramedic boss Jan Jenning.
The drama ramps up, however, when new paramedic Teddy starts shouting at Charlie for trying to con his mum. When shocked Charlie reveals that someone has stolen his identity, a remorseful Teddy comes up with a cunning plan to catch the culprit.
Is Charlie about to land himself a catfish?
Also in Casualty this week
Robyn (Amanda Henderson) is beginning to develop feelings for Paul, but is keeping a guilty secret…
Matthew struggles with grief and guilt over Fenisha’s death.
Jan (Di Botcher) is privately in despair over the tragic loss of both Lev and Fenisha.
The arrival of new paramedic Teddy (Milo Clarke) does nothing to lighten the mood either - especially when he starts calling her ‘Aunty Jan!’
The Casualty anniversary episode airs on BBC1 this Saturday at 8.45pm. It will be available on BBC iPlayer afterwards.
