Rash Masum has a harrowing return to Holby ED when Casualty serves up a double dish of drama this week with two new episodes kicking off the BBC1 medical series’ latest 12-parter Breaking Point.
The first episode, System Failure (BBC One, 8.25pm, Saturday 23 March 2024 — See our TV Guide for listings), follows Rash Masum on his return to work after compassionate leave and marks an era of change at the ED with the introduction of new clinical lead Patrick Onley.
Core Wounds (BBC One, 9.15pm, Saturday 23 March 2024) signals a shocking new arrival into Jacob Masters’ life and sees junior doctor Nicole Piper join the medical team.
Full Casualty spoilers for System Failure and Core Wounds below…
Rash Masum sets fire to the ED
In System Failure Rash Masum (Neet Mohan) returns to work following a period of compassionate leave and discovers Holby ED is being run by tough new clinical lead, Patrick Onley.
The episode opens with Rash starting a fire at the hospital in a state of extreme distress before jumping forward to scenes of the injured and withdrawn doctor attending an intense therapy session with Marris Jacobs (Elizabeth Rider, The Lakes, Doctors, Line of Duty).
Here, Rash recalls the previous five days, which led to his breakdown, sparked by the dual stresses of an overwhelming workload and guilt over the death of his father Ashok…
Patrick Onley leads the way
Unintentionally piling pressure on the grieving doctor is the ED’s calculating new clinical lead Patrick Onley (Waterloo Road star Jamie Glover).
There’s nothing warm and cuddly about Patrick who’s keeping a close eye on Rash while trying to stay on top of the demands of running the overloaded department.
While his approach may be a breath of fresh air for some, it’s intensely disliked by others, and tension is clearly building up among some staff and their big boss!
Clashes and consequences
The two men's very differing personalities become apparent after Patrick watches Rash as he treats Jack White (Damien James), a patient with a racing heart and breathing difficulties.
When Jack begins to panic during a medical procedure, Rash freezes and fails to reassure him, leading to a stern talking to from Patrick, who queries whether he’s returned too soon.
Rash, however, believes he’s more than ready and reveals that he wants to step up his career and become a consultant.
Rash’s next patient is Fern Cross, who has taken an overdose and is in desperate need of mental health treatment. Rash promises fragile Fern (Katie Clarkson-Hill, Guilt, Hanna) and her struggling sister Sally (Claire Marlowe, A Confident Man) that he will get them the help they need.
This proves to be an impossible task, however, as the mental health resources are unavailable. Matters are then made worse when Patrick, keen to clear patients, moves Fern to a bed in the corridor and later discharges her without informing Rash.
Fuel is added to the fire when it’s announced that neighbouring hospital St James’ has been shut due to a serious incident and all their patients are transferred to Holby ED. As the pressure mounts and Fern’s readmitted, Rash and Patrick clash, with devastating consequences…
In an exclusive one-to-one with What To Watch Jamie Glover, who plays Patrick teases: “Patrick’s quite old school and believes in cracking on and getting the job done. He pushes Rash hard when he should throttle back…”
The full interview will is available here
Also in Casualty episode System Failure
Rash’s cousin Tariq (played by Manpreet Bachu and first introduced in Casualty episode Haunted) has given up his life in Australia for a position as junior doctor in Holby.
He’s only been working there a week but already Tariq appears very at home with many of his colleagues - especially nurse Jodie Whyte!
Will Jodie (Anna Chell), who’s still reeling from her father Max Cristie’s departure from Holby with her kidney, have her head turned by the flirty newcomer?
Tariq is also a hit with seriously injured patient Tilly Matthews (Imogen Faires, Dickensian, Marcella), but may end up regretting his relaxed bedside manner…
Meanwhile, Dylan Keogh (William Beck) welcomes Rash on his return and offers his support. As someone who knows the young medic well, will Dylan realise how much he's suffering?
Siobhan McKenzie’s (Melanie Hill) feelings regarding Patrick are crystal clear. But does she welcome the change in regime or not? All will be revealed in fun scenes!
And finally, keep an eye out for Brian Bovell (The Bill, Hollyoaks), who guest stars as former pop sensation Gaz Jones in a touching and heartbreaking storyline with Rash and nurse Ngozi Okoye (Adesuwa Oni).
Spoilers for Casualty’s second episode Core Wounds
In the second visit to Holby this week, the big storylines see Jacob Masters becoming a grandfather, new junior doctor Nicole Piper (Sammy T. Dobson) keeping a secret and Rash sinking further into despair after a tragic incident…
Nicole makes quite the entrance
New junior doctor Nicole Piper (Sammy T. Dobson) gets off on the wrong foot with senior consultant Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) this week when she arrives late for her first shift!
To be fair to Nicole she has good reason - on her way in she found a baby boy abandoned outside the ED.
Stevie, Nicole and nurse Ngozi Okoye (Adesuwa Oni) whisk the little guy into resus for treatment and it looks like Nicole found him in the nick of time - but he’s not out of the woods yet. But the drama doesn’t settle down as her shift continues…
A rivalry sparks up between Nicole and Tariq, as both are eager to impress Patrick. However, Nicole fears she’s scuppered her chances for a good first impression when she gives elderly patient Ruth Norris (June Watson, Agatha Raisin, Whitstable Pearl) a piece of her mind for dangerous driving and then proceeds to throw up over her!
Stevie (it takes one to know one) gives her a dressing down for being hungover at work, while word filters back to big boss Patrick. Worried, Nicole has some explaining to do and ends up confiding in Ngozi in lovely scenes. As two newcomers to the ED, could they become a support system for each other?
It all depends on whether or not Ngozi decides to keep Nicole’s secret...
Rash and Rida divided by tragedy
Having returned from a week’s holiday with her family, Rida Amaan (Sarah Seggari) is glad to be back at work! Yet, the atmosphere between her and Rash remains hostile.
The two are forced to work together when Gemma Illingworth (Fiona Helen Armstrong, Emmerdale, Bob Marley: One Love) is admitted with severe abdominal pain. Once her rather mean husband - one of those people who passes off horrible comments with ‘it’s just a joke’ - has left the room Gemma reveals she’s a tummy tuck tourist and in agony. How will her bully boy hubby Pete (Andrew Roberts Palmer, Emmerdale, Peterloo) react when he finds out?
In the meantime, Rida treats Fern who has been readmitted to the ED. Just like Rash, Rida hits a brick wall when she tries to get the young woman the help she needs and is left feeling powerless.
Later, Rida reconsiders her future, when one of her patients ends up fighting for her life. Meanwhile, an isolated Rash is also reeling in the aftermath of distressing developments.
Jacob is a grandfather!
Yes you read that correctly! Paramedic Jacob Masters (Charles Venn) is about to get the shock of his life!
This episode finds him deeply concerned after he misses a series of calls from his semi-estranged son, Blake.
When Jacob finally gets hold of him on the phone, Blake makes a shocking confession - earlier that morning he visited the ED and left his baby son outside in a car seat!
Jacob races to the hospital where security footage confirms Blake’s story. Scared for his son and shocked to the core about becoming a grandfather, Jacob breaks down. But fortunately his bessie mate Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson) is on hand to give him the pep talk he needs.
Jacob returns to the hospital where Siobhan and social service case worker Tonya Dowling (Lily Beau, Hidden, Limbo) introduces him to his young grandson, Carter.
Will Jacob be left holding the baby?
Casualty, if you’re reading, can we please have a Two Men and a Baby spin-off with Jacob and Iain? Thanks!
Also in Casualty episode Core Wound
With St James Hospital still out of action the team has twice their normal workload, which puts both staff and patients in a dangerous position.
Later, Patrick calls an urgent staff meeting in the wake of tragic events, with his leadership style getting mixed reaction…
Is the the right man for the job?
Tariq almost gives himself whiplash when he first sees Nicole, but it isn’t long before Stevie puts him in his place!
Later, Tariq has a proposition for Rash - they should live together! Will Rash agree and invite his happy go lucky cousin into his home while he’s going through a deeply traumatic time?
And, finally, Siobhan is a tower of strength to everyone who crosses her path. Not only is she on hand to comfort a distraught Rida, the clinical nurse manager and Jacob share a touching heart-to-heart. Could this be the beginning of a beautiful friendship?
Casualty episodes System Failure and Core Wound air on BBC One on Saturday 23 March 2024 from 8.25pm. They will be available on BBC iPlayer from 6am.
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