When is Casualty back and why has it been off air?

Casualty spoilers follow.

Casualty has not been on BBC One for the past few weeks, and we’re missing it.

But why did it go off air in the first place and when will it be back? Here’s everything you need to know in our quick guide:

Casualty has been off air since Saturday, September 16, when a double episode saw Donna learn her fate in court.

The shocking cliffhanger saw Donna sentenced to time in prison for falling asleep at the wheel and causing a car accident that left Ashley’s mum with life-changing injuries.

Although nothing was ever officially announced, Casualty‘s absence from screens coincided with the launch of this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing, which kicked off last month.

Strictly currently airs on BBC One from 6.35pm, with Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel following straight after at 8.25pm.

Fans had been treated to a handful of double episodes before Casualty came off our screens.

While there’s no official word on the exact date Casualty will return, show bosses have promised that it will be back at some point “later this year”.

From next Saturday (October 28), revived reality TV show Survivor, whose first two seasons aired in the UK on ITV between 2001 and 2002, will be taking up the post-Strictly slot instead. This would suggest that it could still be a few more weeks before we get another dose of ED drama.

However, once the numbers start to dwindle on Strictly, and more contestants are sent home, it’s likely that it won’t need the 105-minute slot it currently has scheduled, allowing for more space in the Saturday night schedules for Casualty to return.

Last year, the show was off air for around a month in October, eventually coming back on Saturday, November 19.

Moving forwards, it’s likely that these autumn breaks will become an annual fixture for Casualty.

It was confirmed last month that each series will now have a reduction in the number of episodes it broadcasts each year compared to its peak, as well as a break in the autumn.

The latest series, which began last month, only has 36 episodes, and it seems that a slightly lower episode count will be the standard going forward.

A BBC spokesperson confirmed to Digital Spy that each series will now have seven fewer episodes than in previous years.

The BBC spokesperson said: “This is not the first time the show has taken a break due to the busy Autumn schedule.

“Our priority is always delivering quality over hours and due to super inflation in drama production we’ve taken the decision to slightly reduce the number of episodes per year in order to maintain the quality on screen for audiences. We’ve received no complaints from cast and crew, and it will be back on air later this year.”

Last week, Casualty’s producer Jon Sen announced that he will be leaving the BBC One medical drama after two years in charge.

Sen announced the news on Twitter/X on Wednesday (October 11), confirming that he will be departing Casualty “later this year” – though no specific timeline has been announced yet.

“With a heavy heart, I’m leaving @BBCCasualty later this year,” he shared.

“It’s been amazing & [I have] loved every minute working with creative minds and superb talent. But new horizons beckon. Thanks for the wonderful support we have received over the past two years.”

Sen also spoke out about his exit in an official statement, saying: “It is with a heavy heart that I have decided to leave the BBC and pursue new ventures. It has been the privilege of a lifetime to lead these two amazing heritage brands and to have worked with some of the best creative talent in the industry. I wish all my colleagues the best of luck.”

Sen officially joined Casualty as its executive producer in 2021, having previously served as one of EastEnders‘ producers since 2018.

As always, there’s going to be plenty to look forward to when Casualty does eventually return later in the year.

The show has also left us on a cliffhanger in regards to Jan’s fate, after she accompanied her ex-husband Gethin to Switzerland where he opted to end his life.

This will be explored on Casualty’s comeback, while there are some huge scenes ahead for clinical lead Max (played by Nigel Harman) ahead of his exit next year.

Other stories coming up include Charlie’s heartbreaking exit story, which hasn’t even begun yet, Zoe Hanna’s return, a new romance for Teddy, and some twists and turns in Rida and Rash’s ‘fake romance’.

Former Coronation Street star Melanie Hill has also been cast as the new Clinical Nurse Manager Siobhan Mackenzie, a no-nonsense team leader who looks set to ruffle a few feathers. Her first scenes will air in the new year.