Long-running BBC hospital drama to move to Wales

Ella Groves

Award-winning continuing hospital drama, Casualty, will soon be set in a Welsh hospital in Cardiff.

Though filming for the show has long taken place in Wales, the drama is moving from its fictional setting of Holby to a Cardiff location.

As part of the BBC’s contestability requirements, returning series are often subject to a competitive tendering process.

This is when production companies can pitch to take over production of an existing series on a ‘work for hire’ basis. Casualty was put out to tender in May 2025.

In this instance, the bid from BBC Studies scored the highest against the criteria published for tenderers and won the contract to produce Casualty.

The contract is for a minimum of 24 episodes per series for three series, expected to begin by the end of 2026.

Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, said: “Casualty is a hugely important, much loved BBC drama and this tender has ensured it will continue to flourish.

“It was an extremely competitive process and we would like to thank the shortlisted producers for their high quality and comprehensive proposals.

“We look forward to working with BBC Studios as we build on the show’s long-running success.”

‘Welsh Stories’

In the invitation to tender the show, the BBC asked potential tenderers to “include authentic representation of Wales and reflect the reality of the Welsh NHS.”

They said: “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.”

The move from the fictional Wyvern Valley in the south west of England to Wales will allow for Casualty to play a significant role in the production ecology of Wales, according to the BBS.

Nick Andrews, Head of Commissioning, BBC Cymru Wales, said: “Casualty will be supercharging the portrayal of Wales to the UK and beyond and BBC Cymru Wales are delighted.