Jan Jenning’s past is revealed in Casualty, promising more juicy storylines in the future…
Since her arrival in Holby paramedic boss Jan Jenning has been something of a mystery. We know she’s strong and supportive, and that Stella star Di Botcher is excellently cast in the role. Other than that Jan's been a closed book, but in this week’s Casualty we learned more about Holby's lead paramedic than we could ever have guessed!
Here we explore Casualty Jan’s SIX explosive secrets…
1. Ross West is Jan’s son!
The mysterious person Jan Jenning transferred £600 to in a previous episode is none other than her drug dealer son, Ross West! Ross is a menace in Holby and responsible for supplying the drugs that killed Base - paramedic Iain Dean's close friend. Worlds collided this week when Jan ended up treating Ross after Iain knocked him unconscious for killing Base. (Incidentally, because there’s joy in small details – Ross is allergic to penicillin!).
2. Jan has fierce maternal instincts
Although Jan and Ross have been estranged for quite sometime, when Jan sees Ross lying injured and in need of urgent care, it unleashed strong maternal instincts… Which was bad news for Iain, as she reported him to the police for assault!
3. Her son is clever and manipulative…
It’s no wonder Jan believed her son to be innocent. He expertly manipulated her into thinking Iain was a dangerous man and not even the police had any record of Ross’s drug dealing. But in a bid to hide his tracks, Ross exposed his villainy when he swallowed his drug stash, only for a hospital x-ray to reveal the truth.
4. Ross's turning point
During the explosive episode, Jan revealed to senior nurse Charlie Fairhead that Ross went off the rails when his father left. This opened up a door of information into Jan’s history…
5. Troubled past
A showdown with Ross after he caught his mum rummaging through his bag led to even more revelations. Ross declared he hated how his father treated Jan – is this an indication of an abusive relationship in Jan’s past?
6. New family ties!
Later, after being exposed as a criminal, Ross angrily accused Jan of walking out on him and his dad. Jan’s version of events was slightly different, however. Jan defended herself and retaliated that it was Ross’s dad, her then-husband, who abandoned them. Ross then counter-attacked by accusing Jan of not being there for him and favouring her new wife Ffion and the children they have together!
We’ve liked Jan Jenning since her first shift and can’t wait to see what the future holds for this intriguing character. Will she support remorseless son Ross as he faces a future behind bars? Will we get to meet her new family? Has anyone been cast as wife Ffion? And where is Ross’s (currently nameless) dad?
So many questions… What have we missed?
Casualty continues on Saturday on BBC1
