Casualty has confirmed when it will be back on our screens following its 40th anniversary double bill. The soap celebrated four decades on the BBC on Saturday (September 5) with a two-episode special which featured a major explosion.
During the end credits of the episode, BBC One’s continuity announcer told viewers: “For 40 years, Casualty has been the beating heart of our Saturday nights.
“The best is yet to come, with some exciting changes ahead. Don’t miss the new era of Casualty, coming next year to BBC One and iPlayer.”
BBC
Related: Best streaming services
We already know that Casualty is set to move from Holby to a fictional Welsh hospital, with the BBC announcing the big change last year as it looked for a new producer.
A statement from the BBC read: “We are asking tenderers to include authentic representation of Wales and reflect the reality of the Welsh NHS.
“This is not about radical change of the show, although the move to Welsh portrayal will mean a new fictional hospital based in Wales, and tenderers will need to address this core change in their editorial pitch to the evaluation panel.
“The successful tenderer will need to be able to demonstrate how to incorporate Welsh portrayal and maintain familiarity at the same time.”
Casualty’s 40th anniversary episode saw Kellie Shirley making her return as Sophia Peters, only to die from injuries suffered in the St James’ Hospital has exploded, leading to her ex Dylan (Will Beck) suffering a disturbing breakdown.
The episode also saw the returns of Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) and Ethan Hardy ( (George Rainsford).
BBC
Related: How Casualty’s sensational anniversary episodes set up the show’s new era
Last year, Milo Clarke, who plays Teddy Gowan, spoke about the show’s move to Wales, assuring fans that the soap will only get better.
“We film in Wales, so Wales feels like our home anyway,” Clarke told Digital Spy exclusively. “So for us, it’s not going to feel like too much of a stark change. It’s going to feel quite comfortable for us.
“The fans might have to adjust a little bit, but hopefully we take across everything that we know and love about the show. And we’ll be in a good place, we’ll be in a great place, we’ll be in a stronger place – and we’re going to come back fighting. It’ll be great.”
Casualty airs on Saturday nights on BBC One and now streams first on BBC iPlayer, where episodes are released at 6am on the day of transmission.
Read more Casualty spoilers on our dedicated homepage
Visit our Streaming Guide now to see at a glance where you can view ALL your favourite shows and movies.
The new edition of Legends, a 100-page all-colour celebration of Ariana Grande, is here! Buy Ariana Grande in newsagents or online.