Casualty Christmas special 2024 — everything you need to know
Casualty have revealed that their much anticipated Christmas Special, just like Santa Claus himself, is on the horizon!
The seasonal special is called All I Want for Christmas and will star a sackful of fan-favourites and some very special guests.
Here’s everything you need to know, from plot and main cast to special guests and first look images…
Casualty Christmas special 2024 — release date
Casualty Christmas special 2024 is a format-breaking standalone episode called All I Want for Christmas. It airs on BBC1 on Saturday 21 December 2024 at 9.20pm. It will also be available on BBC iPlayer.
Casualty Christmas special 2024 plot
The events in Casualty Christmas special 2024 will take place on Christmas Day and see the Holby Hospital medics faced with an emergency blood shortage. There are two main story threads. Inside Holby ED consultant Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) fights to save lives, while outside, in wintery conditions, paramedic Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson) risks his own life to ensure the hospital’s patients don't go without. Will tragedy ensue?
From BBC Press: “This innovative new special is a tribute to the miracle of blood, brought to life with all the tension and emotional depth that Casualty delivers so well.”
All I Want for Christmas will also feature real-life testimonies from contributors who’ve been directly impacted by UK blood donation, as well as interviews with key workers who form the country’s blood service.
Speaking about the episode Rebecca Ferguson, Commissioning Editor for BBC Drama, says: “We’re so excited for viewers to see this incredible Christmas special, which genuinely made me gasp. It's tense, thrilling and super-charged with emotion.”
Casualty Christmas special 2024 — main cast
Elinor Lawless as Stevie Nash
The consultant faces a shift like no other…
Speaking to What To Watch about this episode in September Elinor said: “We will be back with a bang! The Christmas special is going to be big. I read the scripts a few days ago and they’re beautiful. There’s a lovely documentary element and it’s got real It’s a Wonderful Life vibes!”
Speaking to us last month about the Christmas special Elinor said:
"Christmas is the time of year where people gravitate towards family and loved ones, and for Stevie, work is the only place where she feels she belongs. When she begins treating road traffic patient Dominic Ryder (Poldark’s Tristan Sturrock) and poorly kid Leah Thompson (Joan's Mia Millichamp-Long, with Hollyoaks Lucy-Jo Hudson, playing her mum, Adele) they kind-of become her family for the day."
Elinor added: "I hadn't realised before we started filming the episode that all it takes is one major trauma to deplete your blood supply in a hospital setting. I thought we're just doing this because it's dramatic, but our on-set medics said that this happens. You’ll see the team try to beat the clock and Stevie’s sense of utter panic.
"Our director Steve Hughes has created a brilliant docu-drama structure, with real life stories underpinning the drama, to remind us that this happens, adding to the pathos. What really struck me is that the episode is not just about blood saving lives, it’s about blood giving quality of life in what might be the person's final weeks or days. It's a beautiful episode that shows that we’re all connected and how much, at the 11th hour, we depend on each other."
Michael Stevenson as Iain Dean
The daring paramedic risks everything to save others.
Speaking to us Michael revealed, Iain may not make it home for Christmas:
"This is Iain’s first Christmas as a family with Faith Cadogan (Kirsty Mitchell) and her three kids, so he's really excited to experience that. He's working on Christmas Day, but he’s gone all out to make sure that a particular present has been kept a secret. Iain can't wait to get home and deliver that, but then something happens.
"At the end of his shift he offers to pick up a much-needed supply of blood because the weather is shocking, the roads are too treacherous for the delivery vans, and patients are up against it time wise. With the snow pelting towards him as he’s driving, events unfold, and let's just say Iain doesn’t make it home in time for his Christmas turkey…"
Charles Venn as Jacob Masters
Iain’s closest colleague and friend is caught up in the life or death drama of the the festive nail-biter, and the aftermath hits home for the struggling father and grandfather...
"Jacob and Teddy Gowan (Milo Clarke) are called to an incident with one patient, but it turns out to be a major traffic accident. Multiple casualties need immediate attention, so it’s all hands on deck," explains Charles.
"I got super excited when director Steve Hughes told me this was my Indiana Jones moment. You’ll follow Jacob walking deeper into this ominous tunnel, and then you see the mass pile up. It’s powerful and the set was incredible. We shot on location and in a studio in Newport where they impressively recreated the entire tunnel with dense fog and eerie lighting. It was so authentic, there was no acting required!"
Melanie Hill as Siobhan McKenzie
Acting clinical lead Siobhan attempts to keep Holby ED running and staff morale up, as the department faces a shocking seasonal shift. Yet, in the background, tension simmers with Stevie Nash, who had an affair with her husband...
"As far as Siobhan is concerned, it’s another day at work because she’s a workaholic anyway and her private life isn’t going too well at the moment," Melanie tells WTW.
"The shift starts with a catastrophic incident and, as always, Siobh tries to support her team. She also brings a bit of humour to the episode.
"It brings home how important blood donations are - not only during accidents, but also for supporting life. There’s a story about a little girl who needs it to prolong her life, which was a shock to me. Everyone brought their A Game because we felt a responsibility to portray this truthfully, because we’re playing alongside clips of actual people and real stories."
Barney Walsh as Cameron 'Cam' Mickelthwaite
The Christmas day shift at Holby ED tests the young nurse as never before...
"When we filmed this special in September, the snow on set very much got me in the Christmas spirit! Going outside and seeing the exterior of the ED all lit up and snowy was very cool. The crew were even wearing Christmas jumpers," shares Barney.
"It's Cam's first Christmas working as a nurse in an ED and he’s excitedly looking forward to it, but he doesn’t know what’s in store. You see him stocking the blood at the beginning of the episode, and by the end of the situation is dire. He may have bitten off more than he can chew…"
Milo Clarke as Teddy Gowan
2024 has been a tough year for the youngest member of the paramedic team. Is it about to get a whole lot worse?
Adesuwa Oni as Ngozi Okoye
It's Ngozi's first Christmas in the UK and amid the trauma of the working day, the Nigerian nurse finds a moment of peace when she sees snow for the first time...
Other main Casualty cast starring in this episode are Neet Mohan (Doctor Rash Masum), Sarah Seggari (Nurse Rida Amaan), Anna Chell (Nurse Jjodie Whyte), Di Botcher (Paramedic boss, Jan Jenning), William Beck (Doctor Dylan Keogh), Kirsty Mitchell (Nurse Faith Cadogan),
Casualty Christmas special 2024 — guest cast
Guest stars in the Casualty Christmas special are:
Lucy-Jo Hudson (Wild At Heart, Doctors) as Adele Thompson
Mia Millichamp-Long (Joan) as Leah Thompson
Tristan Sturrock (Poldark, The Crown) as Dominic Ryder
Joseph Charles (Breathtaking, Solo: A Star Wars Story) as Andrei Reid
Valerie Antwi (DI Ray S2, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as Issa Reid
Katy Carmichael (Malpractice, Spaced) as Shelley Ryder
Noah Smith as Robin Ryder
Jacob Smith as Milo Ryder
Rhiannon Oliver (Doctors) as the Police Officer
Mattie Packer as Nurse
Fun fact: Dominic and Shelley Ryder are played by real life couple Tristan Sturrock and Katy Carmichael.
Returning characters
Zoe Brough (Outrageous, Father Brown) return as nurse Faith Cadogan’s daughter Natalia - who recently had a serious crush on her mum’s boyfriend Iain! Tom Mulheron (Slow Horses, Inside No. 9) reprises his role as Faith's youngest, Luka. And Isla Merrick-Lawless (The Spanish Princess) is back as Faith's middle child, Ana.
Roxanne Harvey, Executive Producer for BBC Studios Drama Production, says: “We’re so proud of this life-affirming episode. Beautifully told, with ambitious production values and outstanding performances, this is entertaining, thought-provoking drama at its very best.”
Is there a trailer for the Casualty Christmas Special 2024?
Yes!
In addition to the sneak peek released earlier this year, a new trailer has just landed it reveals that paramedic Iain Dean's life hangs in the balance, while Stevie Nash and the team at Holby ED battle to keep their patients alive, while the hospital's blood supplies run out...
Behind the scenes and more on Casualty’s future and the Christmas special
The Casualty Christmas special airs on BBC iPlayer and BBC One this December and will be followed by the next series of Casualty from later in the month. The special is written by Erin Kubicki and will be directed by Steve Hughes.
Casualty, the world’s longest-running primetime medical drama, is a BBC Studios Drama production for BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
It is executive produced by Roxanne Harvey for BBC Studios, with Rebecca Ferguson for the BBC. The series producer is Liza Mellody.
