After months of silence and cliffhanger agony, Casualty fans finally have their complete episode roadmap for 2026 — and it’s set to be one of the most dramatic years in the show’s long history.

Here’s your definitive guide to when Casualty returns, how to watch it, and what to expect from the upcoming run as the show prepares for a major reboot and a new setting in Wales.

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🗓️ 📅 First 2026 Airdate: 10 January — Saturday Night Drama Returns

Casualty is confirmed to return on Saturday 10 January 2026 at 8:45 pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

This marks the official start of the highly anticipated Learning Curve arc — a twelve-episode storyline that kicks off immediately following the unresolved cliffhanger from the autumn Supply and Demand boxset.

Expect the first episode to drop on BBC iPlayer at 6 am on the same day before its evening broadcast, which is now standard for the series.

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📆 🩺 What the 2026 Schedule Looks Like

While the BBC hasn’t revealed every individual airdate yet, here’s what fans can anticipate based on the standard pattern for Casualty:

✔ Weekly Saturday broadcasts on BBC One
✔ Episodes released early on BBC iPlayer at 6 am on broadcast day 
✔ Around 12 episodes planned for the Learning Curve arc

That means viewers will likely see Casualty every Saturday from 10 January through at least late March or early April 2026, assuming a weekly run without major schedule breaks.

Exact episode titles and full dates are expected to be released in early January, but the Saturday night slot remains firmly in place as Casualty’s home.

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🎬 What You Need to Know Before It Returns

📌 No Christmas Special This Year
Unlike previous years where festive episodes kept the series in viewers’ hearts over the holidays, Casualty skipped its holiday spot — meaning January’s return will feel like the true kickoff of the 2026 narrative.

📌 Major Arc: “Learning Curve”
This new mini-series introduces two new junior doctors and begins laying the foundation for Casualty’s future direction, including the eventual move from Holby City to a new hospital setting in Wales later in 2026.

📌 Cliffhanger Continuation
The unresolved collapse of Ngozi Okoye — last seen being rushed for CPR at the end of Supply and Demand — will be a central focus of the opening episodes, and her fate will likely dominate the early 2026 storyline.

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📺 How to Watch

✔ BBC One — Saturday evenings, 8:45 pm
✔ BBC iPlayer — New episodes available from 6 am on broadcast day
✔ Catch Up Anytime — Past episodes and arc recaps available on iPlayer

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📣 Fan Tips Before Return Night

✨ Bookmark Saturday 10 January 2026 — Official return night
✨ Prepare for emotional twists — The first episodes are expected to be intense
✨ Engage online — The long winter gap means early fan theories will explode