Casualty series 16

Production

Mervyn Watson, who had previously worked on Coronation Street and Emmerdale took over from Rachel Wright as producer for this series.

The episode count increased this series, this time to 40 episodes. The Controller of Continuing Drama Series, Mal Young, commented the decision to increase the show's airtime was in response to viewer feedback. "We were receiving complaints when it was off air, so we've decided to give viewers more of what they want." The departure of several characters from the end of the previous series seemed bold but paved the way for new faces. Young stated "We've done everything possible with those characters and I wanted to move on." Watson added "We've said goodbye to five or six people and said hello to an equal number." The aim was to increase the pace of the series by creating more dynamic character storylines to avoid it from becoming repetitive.

The opening episode "Holding the Baby", features an ambulance crashing into a car before dangling perilously over a railway line. The scenes were shot at the Great Central Railway in Loughborough over several days in late March 2001.

On 30 March 2002, "Hearts and Minds" (episode 30) had to be shown on BBC Two, due to some schedule changes on BBC One resulting from the death of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother earlier that day.

Cast

Overview

The sixteenth series of Casualty features a cast of characters working in the emergency department of Holby City Hospital and Holby Ambulance Service. Eleven cast members from the previous series reprise their roles in this series.

Robert Gwilym stars as emergency medicine consultant and clinical director Max Gallagher and Ian Kelsey as specialist registrar in emergency medicine Patrick Spiller.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/casualty/pastseries/series16.shtml|title=Series 16 (2001-2002)|publisher=BBC| access-date=2 September 2025|archive-date=11 October 2019|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20191011195418/https://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/casualty/pastseries/series16.shtml |url-status=live}} Derek Thompson continues his role as charge nurse Charlie Fairhead, Cathy Shipton as Lisa "Duffy" Duffin, as sister and Adjoa Andoh as senior staff nurse Colette Kierney. Jan Anderson and Zita Sattar continue as staff nurses Chloe Hill and Anna Paul.

Ian Bleasdale and Kwame Kwei-Armah continue their role as paramedics Josh Griffiths and Finlay Newton. Will Mellor stars as receptionist Jack Vincent and Ben Keaton continues as porter Spencer.

Dan Rymer joins the team in episode 1 as staff nurse Dillon Cahill, alongside Kelly Harrison as ambulance technician Nikki Marshall and Martina Laird as paramedic Comfort Jones. Christine Stephen-Daly and Judy Loe arrive in episode 3 as senior house officer Lara Stone and chief executive Jan Goddard. Lee Warburton joins in episode 11 as receptionist Jack's brother, security guard Tony Vincent.

Anderson departs in episode 20, whilst Kelsey leaves the series in episode 28 after his character Patrick dies due to a head injury. He is replaced by Christopher Colquhoun arriving in episode 29 as specialist registrar Simon Kaminski. Louise Brealey joins the cast in episode 32 as student nurse Roxanne Bird. Gwilym departed in episode 36 with accomplished actor Simon MacCorkindale arriving as emergency medicine consultant and clinical director Harry Harper in episode 37. Gwilym states his decision to leave the series was a "mutual one" adding "After four years in Casualty it felt like it had been enough…". Keaton departs at the end of the series.

The series features several recurring characters. Janet Dibley stars as Amanda Lewis, Max Gallagher's girlfriend, Chad Shepherd as Rob Jones, Comfort's husband and Henry Ian Cusick as Jason, Chloe's troublesome boyfriend. Amy Robbins appears as police officer Rachel James who becomes romantically involved with Patrick whilst Emily Dormer stars as receptionist Gilly, Spencer's irksome daughter. Bob Mason appears as paramedic officer Jeff McGuire.

Main characters

• Jan Anderson as Chloe Hill (until episode 20)
• Adjoa Andoh as Colette Griffiths
• Ian Bleasdale as Josh Griffiths
• Louise Brealey as Roxanne "Roxy" Bird (from episode 32)
• Christopher Colquhoun as Simon Kaminski (from episode 29)
• Robert Gwilym as Max Gallagher (until episode 36)
• Kelly Harrison as Nikki Marshall (from episode 1)
• Ben Keaton as Spencer (until episode 40)
• Ian Kelsey as Patrick Spiller (until episode 28)
• Kwame Kwei-Armah as Finlay Newton
• Martina Laird as Comfort Jones (from episode 1)
• Judy Loe as Jan Goddard (episodes 3–40)
• Simon MacCorkindale as Harry Harper (from episode 37)
• Will Mellor as Jack Vincent
• Dan Rymer as Dillon Cahill (from episode 1)
• Zita Sattar as Anna Paul
• Cathy Shipton as Lisa "Duffy" Duffin
• Christine Stephen-Daly as Lara Stone (from episode 3)
• Derek Thompson as Charlie Fairhead
• Lee Warburton as Tony Vincent (from episode 11)

Recurring characters

• Ben Alsford as Peter Bower (episodes 1–21)
• Arthur Caulfield as Ben Lewis (episodes 3–12)
• Scott Cowan as Jake Bower (episodes 1–21)
• Henry Ian Cusick as Jason (episodes 3–18)
• Janet Dibley as Amanda Lewis (until episode 12)
• Emily Dormer as Gilly (episodes 24–30)
• Bob Mason as Jeff McGuire (episodes 1–9 and 30)
• Lisa Palfrey as Melanie Collier (from episode 37)
• Amy Robbins as Rachel James (episodes 1–15)
• Chad Shepherd as Rob Jones (episodes 4–35)

Guest characters

• Christine Adams as Melanie Phillips (episode 21)
• Frankie Carson as Jordan Harper (episode 37)
• Chrissie Cotterill as Shirley (episodes 12 and 14)
• Tom Fisher as Al (episodes 4 and 16)
• Natalie Glover as Emma Davies (episode 36)
• Fiona Gillies as Philippa Kinross (episodes 14–19)
• Dorian Healy as David Collier (episodes 37–40)
• George Irving as Anton Meyer (episode 39)
• Sheena Irving as Gemma Harvey (episodes 25–27)
• Danny McCall as Greg James (episodes 15 and 16)
• Ashley Miller as WPC Paula Newcombe (episodes 16–38)
• Michael Praed as Chris Meredith (from episode 32)
• Melissa Pryer as Liza Davies (episode 36)
• Tarek Ramini as PC Russell (episodes 4–21)
• Griff Rhys Jones as Paul Fuller (episode 35)
• Tracey Saunders as Lynn Oldfield (episodes 2–7)
• Christopher Scoular as Philip Greenwood (episodes 3 and 8)
• Morag Siller as Leona (episode 10)
• Gillian Taylforth as Justine Walker MP (episodes 33–34)
• Charis Thomas as Natalie McKay (episodes 2 and 14–15)
• Nick Tizzard as PC McCormack (episode 40)
• Oliver Trestain as Kenny Wilson (episodes 1 and 6)

Episodes

Guest starring Rachel Bavidge, Shelley Miranda Barrett and Noel Clarke

Ambulance Technician, Nikki Marshall, Paramedic, Comfort Jones, Paramedic Duty Manager Jeff McGuire, Staff Nurse, Dillon Cahill and policewoman, Rachel James are introduced.

Guest starring Noel Clarke, Harold Finlay and Lucy Blakely

Guest starring Joanna Monro, Ricardo Montez and Mark Powley

Chief Executive Officer, Jan Goddard and SHO, Lara Stone are introduced.

Guest starring Glynn Sweet, Trevor Dwyer-Lynch and John Breslin

Guest starring Charles Kay, Tamara Ustinov and Paul Wyett

Guest starring Noel Clarke, Steven Duffy and Felix Dexter

Guest starring Matthew Cross, Rosie Cavaliero and Jonie Broom

Guest starring Paul Kynman, Garron Mitchell and Jay Byrd

Guest starring Max Wrottesly, Jill Cooper and Louisa Milwood-Haigh

Guest starring Nigel Clauzel, Bob Barrett and Bernard Holley

Guest starring Ben Thomas, Bridgitta Roy and Zoe Thorne

Tony Vincent is introduced.

Guest starring Huw Higginson, Eddie Osei and Nick Miles

Guest starring David Birkin, Rory Hannah and John Bowler

Guest starring Patsy Kensit, David Hounslow and Sean Sloan

Philippa Kinross is introduced.

Guest starring Sarah Haye, Kim Oliver, Ivan Kaye and Sylvester McCoy

Death of Policewoman, Rachel James

Guest starring Philip Wright, James Smith and Beth Cordingly

Guest starring Richard Armitage, Philip Wright and Steve Bennett

Guest starring Derek Riddell, Ken Campbell and Will Tacey

Guest starring Pat Keen, Peter Rylands and Holly Atkins

Philippa Kinross departs.

Guest starring Ken Christiansen, Malcolm Shields and Laila Rouass

Departure of Staff Nurse, Chloe Hill

Guest starring Paul Viragh, Aidan McArdle and Toby Sawyer

Agency Nurse, Melanie Phillips appears as a guest.

Guest starring David Partridge, David Burke and Angel Coulby

Guest starring Davyd Harries, Kathleen Worth and Tyler Butterworth

Guest starring Caroline Trowbridge, Liam Hess and Davyd Harries

Receptionist, Gilly is introduced.

Guest starring David Graham, Bridget Turner and Steven Wickham

Guest starring Rhys Miles Thomas, Di Botcher and John Francis

Guest starring Carole Nimmons, Stewart Harwood and Timothy Watson

Guest starring Mark Jax, Frankie Fitzgerald and Ben Evans

Death of Registrar, Patrick Spiller.

Guest starring Tom Adams, Doreen Mantle and Stanley Page

Registrar, Simon Kaminski is introduced.

Guest starring Justin Pierre, Sam Loggin, Richard Hawley and Dominique Jackson

NOTE: This episode had to be shown on BBC Two, due to some schedule changes on BBC One resulting from the death of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother earlier that day.

Guest starring Paul Venables, Poppy Miller, Nicole Faraday, Mina Anwar and Sam Loggin

Guest starring Ann Penfold, David Michaels and Shelley Conn

Student Nurse, Roxanne Bird is introduced.

Guest starring Ben McKay, Polly Nayler and Brian Miller accidentally hits a reporter with a door and Duffy supervises Roxanne suturing her head. A frequent patient who turned to drink after his wife died defends the staff to the reporter. A widowed GP has left his teenage daughter looking after his young son. When he is delayed taking the boy to the dentist, the girl attempts to drive him herself, despite not having passed her test, and crashes. She dies in Resus. At a party to celebrate Roxanne moving in, Dillon gets Anna to dye his hair brown so people will stop thinking he's gay. Jack tries to sleep with Nikki but is unable to perform and suggests they just be friends. Comfort confesses her affair to Rob and he orders her out.

Guest starring David Bamber, Leona Walker and Jack Townsend

Guest starring Griff Rhys Jones, Gabrielle Lloyd and Crispin Letts

Guest starring Justin Pierre, Lucy Robinson and Jim Pyke

Departure of Consultant, Max Gallagher.

Guest starring Raza Jaffrey, Roger Brierley and Fleur Bennett

Consultant, Harry Harper is introduced.

Guest starring Sam Loggin, Justin Pierre and John Bennett

Guest starring Justin Pierre, Sam Loggin and Sue Perkins

Guest starring Ewan Bailey, Russell Mabey and Dawn Hope

Porter Spencer and Chief Executive Officer Jan Goddard depart.

Notes

References

References

1. "IMDB Casualty Series 16". IMDB.
2. . (14 September 2001). ["More cases of blood, sweat and tears"](https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/7098773.cases-blood-sweat-tears/). *[[The Northern Echo]]*.
3. "Scalpel nurse, Dr Mal is operating!".
4. "BBC1s Casualty filmed at Great Central Railway".
5. (1 April 2002). "Schedules resume after royal coverage". BBC News.
6. Pryer, Emma. (25 June 2016). "Casualty celebrates 1,000 episodes, 30 years and 2,500 gallons of fake blood". Daily Mirror.
7. Smallman, Eve. (28 February 2022). "Emmerdale and Casualty soap star Ian Kelsey: I've died four times". Great British Life.
8. Stokes, Ali. (21 September 2002). "Living life to the Max Max; He's known to millions as the kind-hearted Casualty consultant. But Welsh star Robert Gwilym is about to take on a very different persona in his latest role.". South Wales Echo.
9. "Top 30 Programmes". [[Broadcasters' Audience Research Board]].