Cast of Casualty say they hope viewers are ‘battered’ by improv episode to reflect tough front-line
The cast of BBC Casualty who took part in the show’s first impromptu episode to reflect on the harsh realities of frontline workers say they hope viewers “feel mistreated” by the special.
It’s been a proud Casualty tradition over its 36-year history to reflect on the difficult realities facing frontline healthcare workers, but this weekend it will break from its traditional scripted format.
And their paramedics, Jan and Iain, have revealed how local audiences take in the show’s shocking new form to highlight the high-pressure winter months.
Shocking: The cast of BBC’s Casualty who took part in the show’s first impromptu episode to reflect the harsh realities of frontline workers say they expect viewers to be ‘roughed up’ by the special (Pictured Jan Jennings , played by Di Botcher)
Di Botcher, 63, who plays Jan, the ambulance station duty manager, said Mirror: “I hope viewers feel mistreated 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: “There’s something very special about this impromptu episode. It might make people think twice about dialing 999 if it’s not a true emergency.
“Or if it’s a genuine emergency, they’ll appreciate why that ambulance doesn’t always arrive at the time it should – the NHS frontline is under so much strain right now that any awareness we can raise about how we can play our part in helping to alleviate it they are crucial.
Coming Soon: It’s been a proud Casualty tradition over its 36-year history to reflect on the difficult realities facing frontline healthcare workers, but this weekend it will break from its traditional scripted format.
Michael also told the publication that he supports the strike by NHS workers this month, adding that he is “sympathetic” to the “dilemma” they find themselves in.
A break from Casualty’s traditional script format, the special episode centers on paramedics Jan, Iain, Sah and Teddy, who are pushed to their limits while working under pressure.
And this episode continues that tradition, as it shines a light on the effect ambulance queues have on the hospital, its patients, and the frontline medical staff themselves.
The episode follows the paramedics over four days, showing the pressure and obstacles they face on busy shifts.
Breaking from Casualty’s traditional script format, Tough: The special episode centers on paramedics Jan, Iain, Sah and Teddy, who are pushed to their limits while working under pressure.
Jan (Di Botcher) returns from vacation at a brisk pace, but weakens during the course of her shift and makes a terrible mistake that results in an accident.
Teddy’s (Milo Clarke) confidence is shaken by a difficult call, and Iain (Michael Stevenson) and Sah (Arin Smethurst) struggle with intensely stressful situations.
The trailer showed two ambulance workers lining up in a hospital parking lot waiting to enter A&E while their patient remains in the vehicle waiting to be seen.
They then see a more serious ‘queue jumping’ case when an unconscious man in an oxygen mask is brought inside.
Important: It has been a proud Casualty tradition during its 36-year history to reflect the difficult realities facing frontline healthcare workers.
Vital Work: And this episode continues that tradition, as it sheds light on the effect ambulance queues have on the hospital, its patients, and the frontline medical staff themselves.
Jon Sen, executive producer of Casualty for BBC Studios, said: “Casualty is at its best when it tells stories that really match the real experience of doctors working in the NHS.”
“The ambition behind the ep was to tell a story that was as close as possible to stepping into the shoes of paramedics across the country. After our extensive research, using improvisational techniques to capture the truth of the world seemed natural.
“We want people to come away with a greater respect for the work paramedics do and a true appreciation of the challenges they face.”
Busy – The episode follows the paramedics through four days, showing the pressure and obstacles they face on busy shifts.
Steve Hughes, the episode’s director, said: “The actors improvised all of their dialogue and we shot everything as 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 that paramedics and the NHS as a whole face on a daily basis.
“It was terrifying for the actors at first, like they were walking a tightrope without a net, but it was also liberating 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 embraced the challenge and I am very proud of what we achieved.’
The impromptu episode will air this Saturday, December 10 at 8:10 p.m. on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Plot: Jan (Di Botcher) – pictured – returns from vacation with a spring in her step, but weakens over the course of her shift and makes a terrible mistake, resulting in an accident