Casualty announce this BIG change ahead of the show's return - and fans are NOT happy

By Lauren Hughes
published

Casualty is coming back before the year is out

Casualty nurse Ryan in posed shot in Holby Hospital's busy ED.
(Image credit: BBC)

Casualty fans have been eagerly awaiting its return since the hit medical drama announced its break in the autumn — and there's not much longer to go!

The return date of Casualty has been announced for December 30th, but there's one big change when it comes to the viewing schedule of the BBC medical drama. 

For keen Casualty fans, they can get their fix even earlier than usual when the new season begins again this December. 

Viewers can now tune into Casualty at 6 am on BBC iPlayer — starting on Saturday, December 30, 2023. This is the same format that BBC's EastEnders also follows.

But not everyone is happy about the change, with one fan writing, 'There goes the live #Casualty chat and tweet alongs since the BBC have stupidly decided that it to must go on iPlayer early.'

But it seems most Casualty fans are feeling good about the change, with a poll on X (formerly Twitter) revealing that 70% of fans of the show are pleased they can now get their Holby dose earlier in the day. 

This season, the series will also only be 36 episodes long, which is the new norm for the show going forward.

Show producers have been gradually teasing what to expect from the highly-anticipated new series.

An official post from Casualty producers read last week, 'You think you know Nigel Harman? Get to know Max Catch Nigel from Saturday 30th December in new #Casualty.'

It's safe to say that viewers have been missing Casualty on screens, as a staple part of Saturday night TV since it was launched in 1986. Along with Strictly Come Dancing, it's one of the most popular weekend shows for the BBC.

Casualty airs on BBC One — check out our guide to every episodefor all the latest news and spoilers. 

Lauren Hughes
Freelance writer

Lauren is the former Deputy Digital Editor at woman&home and became a journalist mainly because she enjoys being nosy. With a background in features journalism, Lauren worked on the woman&home brand for four years before going freelance. Before woman&home Lauren worked across a variety of women's lifestyle titles, including GoodTo, Woman's Own, and Woman magazine. After starting out working for a local paper in Yorkshire, her journalism career took her to Bristol where she hunted out stories for national papers and magazines at Medavia news agency, before landing a job in London working as a lifestyle assistant.

A big fan of adventure, Lauren is also a keen travel writer and loves sharing tips on where to find the best places to eat, drink, and be merry off the beaten track. Lauren has written a series of travel guides for London hotels and loves sharing her insights into a destination's cultural and culinary offerings. If you need a recommendation on any UK destination, she's more than happy to help. At the weekend, you'll usually find her hanging out with her pet cat (or anyone else's pet she can get her hands on), escaping to the countryside, or devouring a good book.