Casualty series 35

Casualty series 35, the thirty-fifth season of the British medical drama, aired on BBC One from 2 January to 14 August 2021. It comprises 31 episodes that follow the professional and personal lives of the staff at the emergency department of the fictional Holby City Hospital. Loretta Preece remained series producer. Filming started in September 2020 after a six-month break caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To protect cast and crew, new safety rules were introduced, including mandatory two-metre distancing, which led to the use of plate shots and green screens to create the illusion of closeness.

Production was handled by BBC Studios. The series aired on Saturday nights, with episodes shortened from the usual 50 minutes to 40 minutes due to the new filming techniques, though the opener ran for 54 minutes. After a six-month production hiatus, Kate Oates, head of continuing drama at BBC Studios, welcomed the return to filming and transmission. Despite new nationwide restrictions in November 2020, the show continued filming without another pause.

Promotion included several trailers. A main trailer released on 16 December 2020 previewed early episodes and stunts, such as a car crash and an ambulance crashing into a river. A Christmas-themed video featuring the cast, led by George Rainsford, followed on 17 December 2020. A mid-series trailer came out on 12 March 2021, and a final trailer for the last five episodes was released on 9 July 2021. Digital Spy’s Megan Davies described that final trailer as "action-packed" leading to an "explosive" finale.

Filming adhered to UK government social distancing rules, requiring a two-metre gap at all times. Preece noted this was difficult because the show relies on close-contact medicine, stunts, and emotional scenes. Plate shots—filming actors separately and editing them together—and green screens were used to make characters appear closer. Producer Mat McHale said the difference would not be noticeable, and Preece insisted the show’s quality was not compromised.

Face masks, mandatory in real hospitals, were a challenge. After testing, producers decided not to wear them constantly because they limited emotional expression. Characters did use PPE as part of their costumes, but the show sourced its own supplies to avoid using NHS resources.