Casualty to Make Major Fictional Location Shift After 39 Years

“Casualty,” the long-running BBC medical drama which first aired in 1986, is set to undergo a significant in-universe location change after 39 years. While the show has been filmed at BBC Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff, Wales, since 2011,its fictional setting has always been Holby City, a location based on Bristol in the West of England.

The BBC has issued an invitation to tender for new production companies to bid for the show, and a key requirement in the tender document is that the show’s fictional hospital and setting will now be rooted in Wales. This move aims to increase the authenticity of the real-life Welsh filming location and better reflect the reality of the Welsh NHS.

Although the in-universe change is major, the BBC states it’s “not about radical change of the show” but rather an evolution to incorporate Welsh portrayal. The current filming location in Cardiff will remain the same. The transition is expected to occur as late as 2029, with new Welsh characters potentially being introduced alongside existing beloved characters who are expected to make the move.

This decision has drawn comparisons to the BBC’s previous relocation of “Waterloo Road” from Rochdale to Greenock,Scotland, and has sparked some debate among long-time fans.

“Casualty,” the long-running BBC medical drama which first aired in 1986, is set to undergo a significant in-universe location change after 39 years. While the show has been filmed at BBC Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff, Wales, since 2011,its fictional setting has always been Holby City, a location based on Bristol in the West of…