Long-running BBC drama has number of episodes slashed in ‘devastating’ blow

BBC drama Casualty is to have its number of episodes cut because of the cost of living crisis.

The show launched in 1986 and is now the world’s longest-running medical drama.

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But it has been hit by what producers are calling “super inflation in drama production”.

As well as a general rise in the cost of living, budgets have been forced up by the likes of Netflix.

Casualty started as a 15-part series and eventually hit 48 episodes a year.

Aside from during Covid, the last time it was as short as the latest 36-part series was in 2000. It has now taken a break from our screens and the current season is unlikely to resume for around two months.

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Actor Derek Thompson, who plays nurse Charlie Fairhead, has been in the show since the first episode but will leave in 2024.

A TV insider said: “Casualty peaked in the Noughties when it was on our screens on a Saturday night almost all year round, and that’s what many people have come to expect.

“The only year that saw a shorter series was in 2021 because of the pandemic, when all TV productions were severely affected.

“Now it seems the cost of living crisis could prove just as devastating.”

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A spokesman for the BBC said: “This is not the first time the show has taken a break due to the busy autumn schedule.

“Our priority is always delivering quality over hours and due to super inflation in drama production we’ve taken the decision to slightly reduce the number of episodes per year in order to maintain the quality.

“We’ve received no complaints from cast and crew, and it will be back on air later this year.”