Drama series Casualty will be making a huge location switch as part of the BBC’s latest plans.
The broadcasting corporation has confirmed that the location of Casualty’s hospital will change from Bristol to Wales. The plan comes as the BBC has offered an invitation to tender for the drama series. While the medical drama, which has been aired on our small screens for 39 years, will have all rights retained by the BBC and will continue to be shown on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, the tendering process will decide which producer makes it.
Producers are now invited to pitch, but will need to follow a full list of eligibility criteria, including filming and setting the fictional hospital in Wales. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter.
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The programme is currently set in the fictional city of Holby in the fictional county of Wyvern, which is based on its former filming location in Bristol.
However, since 2011, the programme has been filmed at the BBC’s Roath Lock Studios in Cardiff Bay.
The BBC has confirmed it will remain at the same filming location.
But, as detailed in a document about the BBC’s plans for the show, the tender process will “seek to build on the unique strengths of the show” and “evolve the show into Welsh portrayal”.
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The show will continue to be filmed in Cardiff and play an “important role in the production ecology in Wales”, the BBC has said.
The broadcasting corporation also noted the need to “include authentic representation of Wales” and “reflect the reality of the Welsh NHS”.
In its invitation to tender, the BBC writes: “The tender process for Casualty will seek to build on the unique strengths of the show in the BBC One schedule and evolve the show into Welsh portrayal while maintaining the core attraction to the loyal fan base.
“We are asking tenderers to include authentic representation of Wales and reflect the reality of the Welsh NHS.
“This is not about radical change of the show, although the move to Welsh portrayal will mean a new fictional hospital based in Wales, and tenderers will need to address this core change in their editorial pitch to the evaluation panel.
“The successful tenderer will need to be able to demonstrate how to incorporate Welsh portrayal and maintain familiarity at the same time.”
This isn’t the first time a BBC drama series has had to switch location as part of the programme’s storyline.
The popular drama series Waterloo Road was filmed and set in Rochdale between the first and seventh series, before production was moved to Scotland for three series, with teachers and students moving country in order to maintain continuity.
David Pembrey, Chief Operating Officer, BBC Content, said: “The award-winning Casualty is a hugely important continuing drama which has been on our screens since 1986.
“We are opening it to competition as part of our ongoing commitment to delivering the very best value for audiences.”