Cast of Casualty 'hope viewers get battered' by improvised episode

‘I hope viewers get battered by the episode’: Casualty stars admit they sympathise with striking NHS workers ahead of first ever improvised episode to reflect front-line workers’ realities

The cast of BBC’s Casualty who have taken part in the show’s first ever improvised episode to reflect the tough realities of front-line workers say they hope viewers ‘get battered’ by the special show. 

It has been Casualty’s proud tradition over its 36-year history to reflect the difficult realities front-line health care workers are faced with – but this weekend it will break from its traditional scripted format.

And its paramedics Jan and Iain have revealed how they home audiences take in the impactful new way of the show to highlight the high-pressure winter months.

Impactful: The cast of BBC’s Casualty who have taken part in the show’s first ever improvised episode to reflect the tough realities of front-line workers say they hope viewers ‘get battered’ by the special show (pictured, Jan Jennings, played by Di Botcher)

Di Botcher, 63, who stars as Jan, the ambulance station duty manager, told The Mirror: ‘I hope the viewers get battered by the episode.

‘I hope they see the person behind the uniform. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things.’

Actor Michael Stevenson, 42, who plays Iain, said: ‘This improvised episode has something very special about it. It could make people think twice before dialling 999 if it’s not a genuine emergency.

‘Or if it is a genuine emergency, they will appreciate why that ambulance might not always turn up in the time it should – The NHS frontline are under so much tension now that any awareness we can raise about how we can play our part to help relieve it are crucial.’

Upcoming:It has been Casualty’s proud tradition over its 36-year history to reflect the difficult realities front-line health care workers are faced with – but this weekend it will break from its traditional scripted format

Michael also told the publication that he supports NHS workers striking this month, adding he ‘sympathises’ with the ‘dilemma’ they are in. 

The special episode, which breaks from Casualty’s traditional scripted format, focuses on paramedics Jan, Iain, Sah and Teddy, who are pushed to breaking point whilst working under pressure. 

And this episode continues that tradition as it sheds light on the effect ambulance queues has on the hospital, its patients, and the front-line medical staff themselves.

The episode follows the paramedics across four days and shows the pressure and obstacles they are faced with on busy shifts. 

Tough: The special episode, which breaks from Casualty’s traditional scripted format, focuses on paramedics Jan, Iain, Sah and Teddy, who are pushed to breaking point whilst working under pressure

Jan (Di Botcher) arrives back from holiday with a spring in her step, but is ground down over the course of her shift and makes a terrible mistake, resulting in an accident. 

Teddy’s (Milo Clarke) confidence is undermined on a difficult call out, and Iain (Michael Stevenson) and Sah (Arin Smethurst) both battle with intensely stressful situations.

The trailer showed two ambulance workers queued up in a hospital car park waiting to get into A&E as their patient remains in the vehicle waiting to be seen.

They then see a more severe case ‘jump the queue’ as a man unconscious in an oxygen mask is rushed inside. 

Important: It has been Casualty’s proud tradition over its 36-year history to reflect the difficult realities front-line health care workers are faced with

Vital work: And this episode continues that tradition as it sheds light on the effect ambulance queues has on the hospital, its patients, and the front-line medical staff themselves

Jon Sen, Executive Producer of Casualty for BBC Studios said: ‘Casualty is at its best when it tells stories that truly chime with the real experience of working medics in the NHS. 

‘The ambition behind the ep was to tell a story that gets as close as possible to what it is like to stand in the shoes of paramedics up and down the country. After our extensive research, using improvisation techniques to capture the truth of the world seemed only natural. 

‘We want people to come away having a greater respect for the work paramedics do and a true appreciation of the challenges they face.’

Busy: The episode follows the paramedics across four days and shows the pressure and obstacles they are faced with on busy shifts

Steve Hughes, Director of the episode said: ‘The actors improvised all their dialogue and we shot everything like a documentary to give it a grounded, naturalistic feel. 

‘It was vital to make this episode feel as authentic as possible to highlight the challenges paramedics, and the NHS as a whole, face on a daily basis. 

‘It was scary for the actors at first, like they were walking a tightrope without a net, but it was also freeing and exciting to be able to use their own voices and, even though most of them hadn’t done anything like this before, they all rose to the challenge and I’m so proud of what we achieved.’ 

The improvised episode will air this Saturday December 10 at 8.10pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. 

Plot: Jan (Di Botcher) – pictured – arrives back from holiday with a spring in her step, but is ground down over the course of her shift and makes a terrible mistake, resulting in an accident

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