Siobhan McKenzie is forced to put aside her personal feelings when a catastrophic plane crash puts Holby City's emergency services under unprecedented pressure in Casualty episode Brace, Brace, Brace on Saturday 22 February 2025 at 8.25pm (See our TV Guide for listings). Yet drawing a line under her personal problems with Stevie Nash proves harder than she imagined when someone close to home is injured in the line of duty.
Elsewhere in the ninth episode of the 11-part Public Property boxset, Faith Cadogan finally sees manipulative houseguest Astrid Watson’s true colours - but can she resist temptation?
Meanwhile, Dylan Keogh answers the call of duty in this action-packed, emotional and twist-filled visit to Holby.
Casualty spoilers for Brace, Brace, Brace below…
Siobhan McKenzie’s day from hell begins
Siobhan McKenzie faces a life and death dilemma as her husband fights for his life…
As the episode opens for Siobhan (Melanie Hill) it’s revealed that she and her husband, Rich Walker (Michael Keogh), are living together in their family home, although the cheating firefighter is in the spare room.
Dropping Siobhan at work, Rich tells the acting clinical lead that their son Ben caught him leaving the guest room and insists that they need to tell their grown-up children that they’re splitting up.
Siobhan reluctantly agrees, although she’s still deeply hurt that he betrayed her with consultant Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless). They agree to break the news later that evening. Yet there’s no time to dwell, as a call comes in about a plane crash outside Holby airport and a major incident is declared…
A slight thaw
Although it’s all hands on deck at the hospital as casualties come pouring in, Siobhan and Stevie are unable to put their differences aside during the life and death shift.
That is until there are reports of a massive explosion at the crash site and an unidentified firefighter is admitted to the ED with catastrophic burns.
Both women come together in a moment of utter relief when it turns out not to be Rich - but their camaraderie doesn’t last long!
Warning - major spoilers beyond this point.
Siobhan’s double-edged dilemma
An injured Rich is admitted to the ED in a fragile state…
“Rich is brought in suffering from smoke inhalation and you can see how much Siobhan loves and adores him,” says Melanie Hill in an exclusive interview with What To Watch. “What makes everything worse is she goes with him for his CT scan, thinking that he’s going to say he loves her too, but instead he asks her to, ‘Tell Stevie I love her.’”
Full interview with Melanie Hill
Seconds later Rich starts deteriorating and is raced to Resus for emergency care, leaving Siobhan with a dilemma… Will she tell Stevie?
What will Siobhan decide?
And will Rich survive?
Also in Casualty this week
If, like us, you were shouting at the screen when advanced clinical practitioner Faith Cadogan gave manipulative Astrid Watson a place to stay, tune into this episode of Casualty.
The scales from the trusting nurse’s eyes finally fall when Faith (Kirsty Mitchell) catches Astrid (Gina Isaac) raiding the hospital's drug supply using her pass! Yes, while the department is overrun with deathly ill patients and emergency workers!
To say Faith is furious is an understatement, and she isn’t shy in telling Astrid exactly what she thinks of her! Faith orders Astrid to pack her stuff and leave her home at once, before reporting her so-called friend to hospital security.
Unfortunately, Astrid has another trick up her sleeve, and Faith is in for a gut wrenching shock when she finally arrives home after a gruelling shift… Will the frazzled medic be tempted to relapse?
It’s a tough shift for the paramedic personnel too, and it begins with Indie Jankowski (Naomi Wakszlak) taking a frantic call from a flight attendant moments before the aeroplane crashes.
Paramedic boss Jan Jenning (Di Botcher) reports the incident and begins assembling her crew, who go above and beyond to rescue passengers and staff involved in the incident.
Meanwhile, Jan has some good news and bad news for Jacob Masters (Charles Venn). His son Blake Gardner (David Ajayi) is coming out of the psychiatric ward later that day, however, he wants Jan, not Jacob, to collect him.
Will a brokenhearted Jacob be distracted while on duty?
Tariq Hussein (Manpreet Bachu) is concerned when his father Kareem (Ravin J. Ganatra) decides to discharge himself from the hospital because he doesn't want to be a burden during the crash response.
Later, however, Kareem collapses and is raced into the ED. Rash Masum (Neet Mohan) begins urgently treating his uncle while Tariq looks on… Will Kareem make it? Or will the family be torn further apart?
Elsewhere, while Siobhan hopes to resuscitate her 25-year marriage, Stevie is secretly looking forward to a new beginning with Rich (she even attends an interview for the role of clinical before being recalled to the ED), unaware that his life hangs in the balance. Thankfully a familiar face turns up to lend a hand…
… Yes, fans of Dylan Keogh (William Beck) rejoice! The senior consultant answers a shout out to all off-duty medics.
On enforced leave, Dylan is painting his boat when he gets a report about the crash. When he turns up at Holby ED, the team welcomes him with open arms. And later, as Rich deteriorates, Siobhan in particular is very glad he’s there.
Also lending a hand in the busy department is Dylan’s ex, psychiatric nurse Sophia Peters (Kellie Shirley) and the pair snatch a moment together during the upsetting shift. Could a reconciliation be on the cards for the star crossed lovers?
Meanwhile, unlike Dylan or Sophia, when nurse Jodie Whyte (Anna Chell) turns up to the ED stinking of booze and offering to help out, she’s given short shrift from Siobhan!
In stark contrast, Siobhan gives Rida Amaan (Sarah Seggari) an elevated role during the crisis.
It turns out that Jodie is under investigation for her inappropriate relationship with widower Aaron Bayliss (Jack Wilkinson) and those closest to her are running out of patience… If you haven’t seen last week’s standalone episode Jodie yet, it’s available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Casualty episode Brace, Brace, Brace airs on BBC1 on Saturday 22 February 2025 at 8.25pm. The episode is available on BBC iPlayer from 6am.
If you are affected by any of the storylines in this week's Casualty, please know that help, support and information is available from BBC Action Line: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/
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