Max Cristie is left reeling when Donna Jackson makes a tearful confession in Casualty episode Too Young, Too Soon (BBC One, 8.25 pm, Saturday, August 19, 2023 — see our TV Guide for listings).
Elsewhere, Faith Cadogan’s lies get too much. Ffion Morgan and Gethin West are keeping secrets from Jan Jenning. And will Rash Masum lay his heart on the line?
Full Casualty spoilers below…
Max Cristie suspicious
Max Cristie has a serious decision to make this week in Casualty...
Yes, the game is up for guilt-stricken nurse manager Donna Jackson (Jaye Jacobs), as ED boss Max (Nigel Harman) guesses her shameful secret!
It’s another hectic shift at Holby Hospital and the ED is overrun with patients from a local music festival. Despite the chaos and casualties, however, Donna spots that troubled Ashely ‘Ash’ Morgan (Connor Curren) is back in need of treatment.
Last month Donna derailed Ashley’s life, when she fell asleep at the wheel after exhausting back to back shifts. At the scene of the crash, Donna denied that she was to blame. Now, the young man is facing a jail sentence for dangerous driving, while his mum, Kerry (Keira Lucchesi), is in a coma fighting for her life…
Consumed with remorse, Donna reaches out to Ashley, who reveals he’s facing homelessness and self-harming as a coping mechanism. Disquieted, Donna vows to help him and withdraws £800 to cover his rent — unaware that Max is watching all their interactions!
Suspicions raised, clinical lead Max confronts the senior nurse and demands to know why she’s overly concerned for the very person who’s falsely accused her of causing the car crash. But, mid sentence, the penny drops and he realises Donna’s interest in Ash springs from guilt!
As Max starts to join the dots, initially Donna evades his questioning. But later, when distraught Ash breaks down in her arms because his mum may die, she can’t take it anymore. Donna tearfully confesses everything to stunned Max!
Will he go to the police?
Jan deceived
Jan Jennings’s nearest and dearest are keeping secrets from her… the paramedic boss has an inkling that something is up when she catches her wife Ffion Morgan (Stirling Gallacher) and ex-husband Gethin West (Robert Pugh) having whispered conversations in their shared home.
But there’s no time to think about it when neighbour Jamie Welles (Dan Partridge, who made his TV debut in this episode of Doctors) comes knocking on the door in desperate need of help. His wife Desi (Antonia Rita, EastEnders, Grantchester) has gone into labour and their midwife is stuck in traffic!
Anxious to help the first time parents Jan (Di Botcher) and Ffion pop over, where Desi is in the midst of a home delivery. It’s all going swimmingly until Ffion punctures the pool!
With Jan’s help, Desi gives birth to a healthy baby girl, but the new mum needs urgent medical treatment. Ffion and Jan race her to the ED, but will Desi get the help she needs in time?
More surprises
After all this, Jan just wants to head home, but Ffion has other ideas. The police officer convinces Jan to go to the pub, where her friends and colleagues have thrown her a surprise retirement party.
But this isn’t the only shock of the evening… Gethin reveals his plans to attend a euthanasia clinic in Switzerland with Ffion’s help, leaving shell shocked Jan feeling utterly betrayed.
What happens next will leave Jan and Ffion fans reeling…
Calling Faith
Faith Cadogan is on edge and under pressure, as Stevie Nash rallies around her!
Last week Faith (Kirsty Mitchell) lied to Stevie (Elinor Lawless) about having cancer in a desperate bid to keep her drug addiction under wraps.
This week Stevie is keeping a watchful eye on Faith, determined to help her. Feeling trapped by Stevie’s attention and offers to attend appointments, Faith snaps at her friend. Thinking she’s overstepped, Stevie backs off, leaving Faith wrestling with even more guilt.
Is it finally time for the troubled nurse to come clean? Not least so the tortured single mum and dedicated nurse can finally get the help she really needs…
Kirsty Mitchell on what it will take for Faith to get help
Also in Casualty this week
Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) joins the paramedic team in placing bets on whether Jan’s retirement will actually happen, as no one can believe she’s ready to hang up her uniform. But, after a heart-to-heart with Jan, Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson) reckons this really might be the end of an era…
Rash Masum (Neet Mohan) voices strong anti-music festival views this week, as the ED is overrun with drunks and people in the mood to party. But he quickly changes his tune when he treats patient Millie Hamble.
Rida Amaan (Sarah Seggari) looks on amused, as Rash is clearly smitten with Millie (Keturah Chambers, You). Will he gather up his courage and ask her out?
Casualty theory — Rash and Rida headed for romance?
Jodie Whyte (Anna Chell) struggles to keep her feelings under control and is simmering with hurt after Max's most recent rejection. Yet, unknown to her, he is keeping a quiet, fatherly eye on her, albeit from a distance…
Speaking of feelings, Cam Micklethwaite (Barney Walsh) is on a roller coaster of emotions when it comes to Jodie. Reading too much into everything she says, is a delivery of harsh heartbreak in the post?
There's another severed finger case for Stevie Nash to deal with, and junior nurse Ryan Firth (Eddie-Joe Robinson) is fascinated!
Emmerdale and Hollyoaks: Let Loose star Gary Turner guests as Elliot Reston, a father who has taken ecstasy in a bid to relive his youth, to the horror of his son Finn (Cariad Hughes). When it emerges Elliot is one of many festival goers exposed to a bad batch, will he live to regret his decision?
Meanwhile, in heartbreaking scenes, mum Romy Griffin (Louise Atkins, Happy Valley, Coronation Street) anxiously awaits news on her son, Josh, who was celebrating his end of exams at the festival.
And finally, keep an ear out for Stevie’s wildly unconventional parenting suggestion!
Casualty episode Too Young, Too Soon airs on Saturday, August 19 2023 at 8.25pm on BBC One. It will be available on BBC iPlayer after transmission.
