麻豆社

鈥淚ronically, for a show about accidents and emergencies, it makes you feel safe.鈥� So says The Guardian鈥檚 TV reviewer John Crace of Saturday night drama series 鈥淐asualty鈥�.

The 鈥淕rand Daddy of medical dramas鈥� is set in a west country hospital, and according to the Radio Times, 鈥淐asualty鈥� has launched the careers of more actors than any other soap or drama series 鈥� among them Kate Winslet, Brenda Fricker and Alfred Molina.

Its first episode in September 1986 began with Junior Charge Nurse Charlie Fairhead (played for 38 years by Derek Thompson) driving his yellow VW beetle across the Clifton Suspension Bridge. He arrives at the hospital, gets out of the car wearing a battered flying jacket, and lights up the first cigarette of his shift.

The message was clear - every day is another battle on the frontline of Britain鈥檚 NHS.

Not everyone was happy. The Royal College of Nursing complained about the portrayal of nurses in the series. And freshly appointed junior heath minister Edwina Currie blasted the whole thing as 鈥渓eft-wing propaganda which unfairly tarnished the institution of the NHS鈥�.

Joining presenter Kirsty Wark are a group of people who鈥檝e all been associated with the long running drama: Lisa Bowerman who played Sandra Mute, the show鈥檚 first female paramedic; Catherine Shipton, best known as nurse 鈥淒uffy鈥� and Debbie Roza-Mercier who portrayed receptionist Susie Mercier; co-writers and series creators Paul Unwin and Jeremy Brock, and Peter Salt, medical consultant and real-life nurse in Bristol who became the inspiration for the character of Charlie.

Producer: Howard Shannon
Editor: David Prest
A Whistledown production for 麻豆社 Radio 4