Siobhan McKenzie sets the tone for the future in Casualty double-bill The Truth Will Set You Free and Freedom when she discovers she’s been betrayed by the people she trusts most.
Storm Damage draws to a close on BBC1 on Saturday, September 7, 2024, with a two-part special set on a single day, from 8.25pm (See our TV Guide for listings).
The events of the previous episode saw Iain Dean cause untold damage to his family, Siobhan humiliated after an attempt to win back her cheating husband, and Dylan Keogh go on a disastrous date.
In this week’s first episode The Truth Will Set You Free, climate protesters put the medics under unprecedented pressure. And, amidst the chaos, Siobhan discovers Stevie Nash’s fling with her husband, while Nicole Piper’s waters break while she’s isolated and alone!
In the second outing, Freedom, Holby ED goes into lockdown, Jacob Masters takes a dangerous risk, and Sophia Peters prepares to wave goodbye to Holby City. Will Dylan stop her from leaving?
Full Casualty spoilers for The Truth Will Set You Free and Freedom below…
Siobhan McKenzie stunned in The Truth Will Set You Free on Saturday at 8.25pm on BBC1
Episode 11 of 12 in Storm Damage
Siobhan McKenzie learns the truth
Siobhan McKenzie (Melanie Hill) faces a shift like no other, as Holby ED is swamped with injured patients and she grapples with her recent rejection from husband Rich Walker (Michael Keogh). But little does Siobhan know, her day is about to get a whole lot worse…
When Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) clocks that Siobhan is struggling, the clinical lead opens up to her ‘friend’ and reveals Rich has sent her a text about meeting up for dinner, which is clearly meant for another woman.
Just as they’re in the middle of this awkward conversation, who should turn up, but the man of the moment - Rich! His colleague Brooke Reynolds (Isabella Verrico) has been injured in the line of duty and needs help...
Neither Siobhan or Stevie want to treat the young firewoman, for very different reasons, and both suspect she may be his new fancy piece. But, as the shift continues, Stevie realises Brooke looks up to Rich as a father, not a lover, and their relationship is platonic.
Before she gets a chance to tell Siobhan, however, the clinical lead spots her husband holding hands with Brooke and charges in to confront them.
Stevie stops Siobhan just in time and, privately in Siobhan’s office, the senior medic unleashes the depths of her pain at losing her partner of 25 years and father to their three children.
Moments later, a worried looking Rich enters Siobhan’s office to find out what’s going on. This proves to be guilt-ridden Stevie’s breaking point, and the consultant confesses everything to Siobhan!
"These scenes are heartbreaking because Stevie knows she’s about to crush the person standing in front of her," Elinor Lawless tells us in an exclusive interview. "You’re watching two women breaking and the pain is ugly - Siobhan is like a wounded animal and Stevie feels ready for the gallows. Nobody comes out of this unscathed."
The full interview with Elinor Lawless
Nicole’s life hangs in the balance
Nicole Piper (Sammy T. Dobson) is shocked when Ngozi Okoye (Adesuwa Oni) assumes she’s going to be her birthing partner. Heavily pregnant Nicole doesn’t think it’s a good idea after their recent passionate kiss, and Ngozi is clearly hurt by her rejection.
Even so the pair work closely and effectively together to help stressed fisherman Nate Brown (Anthony Lewis, Emmerdale, Ackley Bridge) while they remove multiple hooks embedded in his skin (Warning: if you're squeamish we recommend employing the magic protection of a nearby pillow at this point.)
Afterwards, Nicole heads to the skills room where she’s arranged to meet fellow junior doctor Tariq Hussein (Manpreet Bachu) for some training. But, while there alone, her waters break!
Running late, Tariq eventually turns up and he’s forced to deliver Nicole’s baby boy whether he wants to or not (Spoiler alert: He does not). Afterwards there are life-threatening complications and he races her to resus where Stevie takes over…
Also in Casualty episode The Truth Will Set You Free
It’s the day of Jamie Cleveland’s funeral and Cam Mickelthwaite (Barney Walsh) is on edge, worried that Bobby Morton (Ryan J Mackay) will turn up seeking answers.
And it turns out that the young nurse’s instincts are spot on when Bobby arrives at the ED and violently forces Cam into a storeroom!
What does Bobby want with Cam?
Sophia Peters (Kellie Shirley) arranges a leaving do at the Anchor. But will she invite Dylan Keogh (William Beck) after last week’s date disaster?
Hurt and humiliated, Siobhan realises that Faith Cadogan (Kirsty Mitchell) knew about Rich and Stevie’s affair and unleashes her anger.
Meanwhile, Faith has troubles of her own. Her son Luka Malinovsky (Tom Mulheron) has been suspended from school after brutally attacking his bully, Noah, and the police investigation into the matter is ongoing.
While working, Faith gets an upsetting call from her son and it’s clear something is troubling him. She struggles to juggle work and family and knows something’s got to give - and it looks like that something is going to be her dream of becoming a doctor.
In the middle of this, Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson) turns up with what he believes to be the perfect solution - he should move in!
Will Faith turn him down after his part in Luka’s current predicament?
Elsewhere, Tariq — now sofa surfing after his explosive fall out with his cousin Rash Masum (Neet Mohan) — reconsiders his career in medicine.
Also, keep an eye out for Two Doors Down star Jonathan Watson in an emotive guest role as climate protestor Vince Whitby, who’s at the forefront of a harrowing and tragic story.
Vince has been admitted to the ED after being injured in increasingly violent nationwide demonstrations. Despite his injuries he slips out of the ED to make the ultimate sacrifice in order to draw attention to the cause, leaving his daughter Anja (Leila Mimmack, Home Fires, Doctors) devastated…
And yes, this is related to a certain horrifying scene in the Storm Damage trailer...
Casualty spoilers for Freedom on Saturday 07 September at 9.15pm on BBC1
Episode 12 of 12 in Storm Damage
Iain and Teddy in danger
The twelfth and final Storm Damage instalment, Freedom, sees Holby ED plunged into lockdown while setting the tone for a new chapter in Casualty…
The second part of this week’s double-bill picks up shortly after the previous episode, with paramedics Iain Dean and Teddy Gowan (Milo Clarke) called to a highly-classified shout out.
Teenager Hayah Bashara (Mansi Harvey) is stretchered off a military helicopter after being shot at and badly burnt in a protest in her home country, while her worried mother, Fatima (Samila Kul, Doctor Who) gets taken by the army to safety…
However, the military’s plans for Iain and Teddy to transport Hayah to the ED as quickly as possible for life-saving treatment go awry when their ambulance is run off the road in a targeted attack!
Decision time for Cam
At Holby Hospital, Cam is still trapped in the storeroom with an injured Bobby, who begs him for answers about Jamie Cleveland’s final hours. Cam agrees to treat his former childhood friend in secret only for Siobhan to rumble them!
Furious she places Bobby under the supervision of a security guard but when he’s distracted, the fugitive makes a break for it. But escape is futile when the ED is put under an urgent lockdown by DI Joe Willet (Jonathan Nyati, Bodyguard, EastEnders) from the Major Crime Team (see below for more on this.)
Will Cam risk everything to help Bobby escape or hand him over?
Lockdown terror
Siobhan breaks the news to the team about the situation with Hayah.
When the young woman is eventually brought into the ED, the department is put into an urgent lockdown after Rida Amaan (Sarah Seggari) receives a threatening phone call. Verifying the threat, Joe Willet insists that no one enters and no one leaves, with no exceptions.
At first, Stevie attempts to argue the toss but Siobhan puts her in her place with a public dressing down!
Remorse and revenge?
Stevie apologises repeatedly to Siobhan about bunking up with with Rich, but the clinical lead is having none of it and is scathing in her response to her former friend.
In the meantime, Siobhan puts in an angry phone call to Rich giving him a much deserved dressing down, while drawing a line in the sand with Stevie…
Jacob's tough decision
Jacob Masters (Charles Venn) is shocked and saddened when his son Blake’s mental health appointment is cancelled shortly before it is due to take place. With Blake (David Ajayi) already on his way to the hospital, Jacob decides to take him to see baby Carter.
There’s a touching reunion between the new father and his infant son initially, but tragically events take a turn for the worse, not helped by the heavy armed police presence at the hospital.
As the situation escalates Jacob, determined to do everything he can to avoid catastrophe, takes a risk to help his son. Will it backfire?
Also in Casualty episode Freedom
Dylan is shocked when he discovers Sophia’s leaving drinks are later that evening and is hurt that he hasn’t been invited. After opening up to Faith, he decides to attend anyway, but will he get a warm reception from Sophia?
Tariq basks in the limelight of being the-man-of-the-moment following delivering Nicole’s son. Elsewhere, Nicole is in for a series of shocks…
First, Rosie Cornwall (Nicola Chegwin) turns up at the neonatal ward. Secondly, it turns out that Ngozi called her. And last, but not least, it looks like Rosie wants to pick up where she left off. Will Nicole have a custody battle on her hands?
Iain Dean is happily making himself at home at chez Cadogan. How will Faith’s three children react when they discover they’ve got a new family member?
And, finally, after a long and difficult day, Siobhan sets the tone for the future of Holby ED. But it remains to be seen if she'll be a part of it…
The Truth Will Set You Free and Freedom air on BBC1 on Saturday 07 September 2024 from 8.25pm. The episode is available on BBC iPlayer from 6am.
If you are affected by any of the storylines in this week's Casualty, please know that help and support is available from resources via BBC Action Line: https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/
