Casualty (1986-Current)

Watching Casualty probably isn’t the best preparation for someone already reluctant to seek medical attention.

Casualty is a long-running medical drama set in a busy hospital in the fictional city of Holby in South-West England. The first series had its interiors filmed in London, with exterior filming in Bristol. Production subsequently moved fully to Bristol, before relocating to Cardiff in 2011. In 2027, it is expected that the programme will move to a new fictional hospital in Wales, reflecting the Welsh NHS

The Reluctant Patient watched this in the early/mid 1990s, when the main characters were:-

• Charge Nurse Charlie Fairhead (portrayed by Derek Thompson)
• Sister Lisa “Duffy” Duffin (portrayed by Cathy Shipton)
• Paramedic Josh Griffiths (portrayed by Ian Bleasdale)

Over the years, Casualty has had many guest stars and provided early roles for actors who later became better known, including Robson Green, who portrayed orderly Jimmy Powell, before moving on to become Fusilier Dave Tucker in the Army drama, “Soldier Soldier”.

The early 1990s were a great time for British TV dramas based on so-called blue light services. There was also “London’s Burning”, and of course, “The Bill”. The Reluctant Patient enjoyed all of them at the time.

But maybe that’s it: maybe I watched too much. Going to hospital leads to catastrophic complications: an exploding building; a major road accident; a relationship crisis among the staff; and Charlie Fairhead looking terribly concerned.

From the Case Files