‘Casualty 24/7: Every Second Counts, returning for its tenth series on Ch5, demonstrates how it should be done. The cheery voice of actor Dean Andrews begins by introducing us to the staff on duty, who this time include a ward sister called Jane who reveals a stash of lollipops and choccie bars – fuel for the busy day.

Get ready to share a shift with the team at Barnsley Casualty, announces Dean, with the chirpiness of a man on his way to the vending machine for a cup of milky coffee with two sugars. There’s nothing as cataclysmic as a disaster at the fairground, but the medical emergencies grip our emotions because the film-makers know what really matters: people, not procedures.

John, 67, fell and broke his wrist while feeding the cat. Nine – year- old Alice snapped her collarbone, and doesn’t know whether to be horrified or thrilled by her predicament. And dog-walker Cerys, 21, keeps having asthma attacks … because she’s allergic to dogs. Possibly time for a career change.’

-The Daily Mail (24/07/25)