The BBC has announced that its long-running medical drama, Casualty, will be the next title to be put out to competitive tender.

The BBC will retain all rights for the programme and it will continue to be shown on its services, but the tendering process will decide which producer makes it. BBC Commissioning will invite pitches from producers and a full list of eligibility criteria and requirements for the show will be openly shared with all suppliers. The show will continue to be filmed in Cardiff.

David Pembrey, Chief Operating Officer, BBC Content, says: “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.”

The tendering of returning series forms part of the Charter and Agreement requirement to open up more of the BBC’s TV programmes to competition, following the launch of the BBC’s Compete or Compare strategy in 2014.

The requirements for the programme will be communicated in the invitation to tender which will be published in the coming weeks, allowing time for suppliers to do appropriate research and preparation.