Here’s the breakdown of the confirmed changes:

• Move to a Fictional Welsh Setting: While Casualty has been filmed at BBC’s Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff, Wales, since 2011, the show’s fictional setting has always been “Holby City” in the generic “Wyvern County,” implied to be in the southwest of England. The big change is that the show’s in-universe setting will now officially move to Wales. The hospital will become a new fictional hospital based in Wales.

• Reason for the Change: This move is part of a broader BBC initiative to increase authentic representation of Wales and to reflect the reality of the Welsh NHS within the drama. It also aims to strengthen drama production across the UK.

• Competitive Tender: The BBC has opened up Casualty to a competitive tender process, inviting external production companies to bid for the opportunity to produce the series for the next three seasons (24 episodes each). This is a strategic move to ensure value for money and potentially inject new creative energy into the long-running show. The successful bidder will need to demonstrate how they will incorporate Welsh portrayal while maintaining familiarity for the loyal fanbase.

• Filming Location Remains the Same: Crucially, the show will continue to be filmed at Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff. This means the physical production location isn’t changing, but the fictional world within the show will be firmly set in Wales.

• Timeline: The new production contract is expected to begin in November 2025, with the first Welsh-set episodes anticipated to air between late 2026 and autumn 2029.

• Character Transition: The BBC expects that many beloved existing characters will make the transition to this new Welsh hospital setting, alongside the introduction of new Welsh characters to enhance the show’s authenticity.

This is a significant shift for Casualty, which is one of the world’s longest-running medical dramas, and it marks a new era for the show as it approaches its 40th anniversary in 2026.