The “big change planned” for Casualty revolves around two main points:

1. Competitive Tender for Production:

   • The BBC has announced that Casualty will be put out to competitive tender. This means that while the BBC will retain full ownership rights and the show will continue to air on BBC One and iPlayer, external production companies will now be invited to bid for the opportunity to produce the series.
   • This is part of a broader BBC strategy, launched in 2014, to open up more of its in-house productions to external competition, aiming to deliver “the very best value for audiences.” It’s the same process that Casualty‘s sister show, Holby City, went through before it was eventually axed (though in Holby City‘s case, BBC Studios continued to produce it until its end).

2. Move to Welsh Portrayal and Setting:

   • Crucially, as part of this tendering process, the BBC has confirmed that the show’s fictional hospital setting will officially move to Wales.
   • While Casualty has been filmed at BBC’s Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff since 2011, the show’s setting has largely remained the fictional “Holby” in a generic “Wyvern County” (based on its former filming location in Bristol).
   • The new tender explicitly requires producers to “evolve the show into Welsh portrayal,” “include authentic representation of Wales,” and “reflect the reality of the Welsh NHS.” This means the show’s in-universe hospital will now be a new fictional hospital based in Wales.
   • The BBC states this is “not about radical change of the show” but aims to “build on the unique strengths of the show” while integrating Welsh authenticity. It’s expected that existing characters will make the transition to this new Welsh setting, alongside the introduction of new Welsh characters. The episodes under this new contract are expected to begin airing in late 2026 and run through to autumn 2029.

Why these changes?

These moves are part of the BBC’s efforts to:

• Ensure value for money for license fee payers.
• Strengthen production across the UK, specifically highlighting Wales’s role in the drama production landscape.
• Potentially refresh the series and attract new viewers, as Casualty approaches its 40th anniversary in 2026.

While these changes have caused some worry among long-time fans (especially given the fate of Holby City and Doctors), the BBC has consistently reassured viewers that Casualty‘s future on air is secure.