Is the world’s longest running medical drama moving on?

First aired in 1986, an impressive 682 episodes have been transmitted of Casualty over the last 23 years and it is an award winning, flagship programme of Saturday night BBC television. We can all instantly recognise the theme tune and although the series is set in the fictional city of Holby, we all know its real name is Bristol. Things are not all well in camp Casualty at the moment though, as the latest of the BBC’s big plans of action is to move this much loved Bristol based series over the Severn to Cardiff, creating a huge debate among fans, staff and cast of the series.

The main reason for this move has something to do with BBC’s ambitious new vision of creating; “a radical shift in the whole set up of broadcasting,” according to Jana Bennett, Director, BBC Vision. The ultimate goal of the BBC Trust is to create a more diverse BBC that spreads itself across the country and therefore better represents the people of the nation, as everyone within the UK is involved in funding it. In order to accomplish this target, the BBC Trust has brought in a new decree that at least 50% of BBC will be out of London by 2016.

But how does this effect Casualty, as it is already out of London? Well, BBC has planned to create seven ‘centres of excellence’ around the country, clusters of specific creativity in certain regions. The chosen areas are Glasgow, Cardiff, Belfast, London, Birmingham, Salford/Manchester and Bristol; however, the BBC would like these areas to each have a particular focus of importance, for example BBC Bristol will build on its existing Natural History Unit and will continue to be the centre of excellence for factual programming whereas Cardiff, currently home to Dr Who and Torchwood, will build upon its drama and entertainment and hence the potential move of Casualty to the city.

If this move is to go ahead, it could affect Bristol in many ways. The many benefits Casualty brings to Bristol include a reported £24.7 million a year boost to the South West economy, the programme creates jobs and training opportunities for local technicians, writers and actors and it helps attract other broadcasters and film-makers to the area by helping to put Bristol on the map as a centre of excellence for film and television production.

At the moment, an average episode of Casualty consists of a 10 day shoot, 6 days in the studio and 4 days on location. These locations are normally Bristol based using iconic locations like the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Thekla, Park Street and even your street or school - we can all remember the excitement of seeing the big, grey casualty food bus parked somewhere and immediately knowing an episode was being filmed – but with the move to Cardiff, Casualty makers will have to decide whether to make the costly and timely commute across the border or whether to begin morphing Holby city into an entirely different location based in Cardiff, whilst bearing in mind both Dr Who and Torchwood have had to begin commuting across the country to other regions as they have swiftly used up the recognisable locations within Wales.

As with all important decisions like this, there are also the financial circumstances to consider and not only will Bristol loose the valuable boost to the local economy but it will cost a substantial amount to build a new set/studio and either relocate or pay the commuting costs for the show’s cast and crew who are all currently Bristol residents and might be reluctant to move, as Derek Thompson (better known as Charlie Fairhead, the longest standing character in the programme) points out; “I’ve been a resident of Bristol for the last 22 years and the common feeling within Bristol is that people don’t want Casualty moved, not with any hostility towards where it might land but there’s a notion that Casualty represents the West Country in a lot of its story lines. This is where it’s based. Why go and record the Bristol culture somewhere else? They will lose the roots of the whole thing if it goes.”

On the other hand, a move will give Bristol based companies an opportunity to extend themselves across into Wales, but at what cost? Fears are that with the potential move of such a large programme, what ripple affect will it have on BBC Bristol and whether this will be the beginning of the end for BBC Bristol based drama?

www.bbc.co.uk/casualty

Kyle Brown