It’s judgement day for Stevie Nash in Casualty episode Burning Love (BBC1, 8.35pm, Saturday 23 April 2022 - See our TV Guide for listings). Elsewhere, Marty Kirkby reaches out to Adi Kapadia and Dylan Keogh spectacularly loses his temper!
Full Casualty spoilers below…
Stevie Nash puts her career in danger
It’s a day of reckoning for Stevie Nash and Matthew Afolami, as their sexual harassment hearing gets underway.
There are shocking twists and turns as Matthew (Osi Okerafor) claims Stevie (Elinor Lawless) abused her seniority to coerce him into a sexual relationship. Stevie justifies their fling and maintains that Matthew’s covering up his post-traumatic stress disorder and putting patients’ lives in danger.
When sarcastic Stevie is interviewed by HR head Colleen (Keeping Faith star Eiry Thomas), she doesn’t do herself any favours by refusing to take the hearing seriously. Later, while Matthew is stating his case, he suffers a flashback to his time as a warzone medic and races out of the room in panic!
As Colleen's judgement hangs in the balance, Matthew dives into treating Sonny, a baby he rescued from a house fire that morning (see below). But when Sonny’s condition rapidly deteriorates, Matthew freezes as he relives a harrowing incident from his past.
Stevie and clinical lead Dylan Keogh (William Beck) are forced to intervene. Can they save Sonny? And what will Colleen decide in light of these new developments?
Matthew’s heroic rescue
Troubled Matthew’s day gets off to a harrowing start. While out jogging in the woods he overhears a woman screaming for help from an upstairs window as her house is engulfed in flames.
He jumps into action, calls the emergency services, and races to help. Realising that the woman, Nikolette (Roadkill's Aime Francis), is trapped, he urges her to throw her baby, Sonny, out of the window and promises to catch him.
She puts her complete faith in the heroic medic, and he - thankfully - delivers.
Then, with no thought for his own safety, Matthew races into the burning building and drags the now unconscious mum to safety.
Matthew’s just about to brave the flames again when paramedic Jan Jenning (Di Botcher) arrives and stops him. The fire services turn up seconds later and save Nikolette’s husband Mark.
Most people would take the day off after that, but Matthew simply removes two more names off his list of the dead and jumps back into the day job.
Jacob supports Matthew
At the ED Matthew begins to regret reporting Stevie and confides in nurse Jacob Masters about having second thoughts.
Jacob (Charles Venn), who endured a nightmare ordeal at the hands of his abusive ex-girlfriend, Tina Mollett, encourages Matthew to stay the course and attend the hearing. Meanwhile, Stevie’s publicly disrespectful behaviour towards Matthew confirms for Jacob that he’s doing the right thing in supporting him.
Even with Jacob’s backing, however, what follows is a distressing day for traumatised Matthew, as he’s pulled in numerous emotional directions…
Will the distressed medic be forced to confront his soul-destroying trauma? And, if so, what will it mean for his future?
Also in Casualty this week…
Junior doctor Paige Allcott (Shalisha James-Davis) makes a welcome return to the wards, but she’s keeping the reason for her leave of absence to herself.
Flustered Rash Masum (Neet Mohan) is especially glad to see her — does he have a crush?
Jessica - Adi’s surrogate - is rushed to the ED. Although Marty Kirby (Shaheen Jafargholi) has broken up with Adi (Raj Bajaj) for lying about Jessica (Maya Saroya), he reaches out and offers his support. Will the baby be okay?
And finally, keep an eye out for a scathing confrontation between Stevie and Dylan!
This episode of Casualty airs on Saturday, April 23 2022 at 8.35 pm on BBC One. It is available on iPlayer after transmission.
