Casualty star Elinor Lawless reveals: ‘The punches keep coming’

Casualty exclusive — spoilers beyond this point

With her knack for getting into trouble, skillful one-liners and unwavering dedication to her work, consultant Stevie Nash has become a firm favourite with Casualty fans since she arrived on the wards of the BBC1 drama three years ago.

And when star Elinor Lawless joins What to Watch for an exclusive interview, it’s clear she enjoys being kept on her toes by her unpredictable character just as much as viewers do!

“The lovely thing with Stevie is you’re joining her on a journey where she’s growing all the time,” she explains. “I can’t tell you what she’s going to be like in three or four months’ time because she’s evolving with the episodes, which is exciting!”

As the show’s current 12-part story, Storm Damage , draws to a close this week with a double-bill set across a single shift in Holby ED, Stevie owns up to one of her biggest errors in judgement to date: Having an affair with clinical lead Siobhan McKenzie’s husband of 25-years, firefighter Rich Walker.

Here, Elinor gives us her take…

Casualty exclusive with Elinor Lawless

Siobhan suspects Rich is sleeping with his colleague and wants to confront them in the ED. Is that why Stevie decides to admit the truth during this explosive two-parter?

“Yes, given where Siobhan’s mind goes, Stevie realises she needs to take responsibility and that she can’t let Siobhan, who’s a good person and doing her best, disgrace herself at work. Stevie absolutely knows that her fling with Rich is indefensible, that she can’t justify the betrayal, and that she deserves the fall that’s coming…”

Just how bad is the fallout?

“The scenes are heart-breaking, because Stevie knows she’s about to crush the person standing in front of her. You’re watching two women breaking and the pain is ugly. Siobhan is like a wounded animal, while Stevie feels ready for the gallows. Nobody comes out of this unscathed.”

Have you relished the challenging twists and turns involved in this love triangle?

“Yes, it’s been exciting and nerve-racking, because you can’t go into a story like this thinking you’re going to come out as the good guy. Stevie played with fire and chose to put her hand in the flames, but I’ve enjoyed exploring something that our audience has had incredibly strong reactions to.”

Can you tease what the future holds?

“Inevitably it will become public knowledge because Stevie has opened the lid to Pandora's box! Siobhan and Stevie are going to have to get on with the high pressures of the job while dealing with these incredibly personal and humiliating issues. There’s an exploration of this female relationship and how they navigate something deeply uncomfortable and raw. Let’s just say, the punches keep on coming!”

After these two episodes, Casualty will take a break from our screens before returning later in the year. How do you feel about that?

“I quite like it because, for me, there's nostalgia in it. Nowadays we’re so used to not having to wait, but I think anticipation makes it all the better. It’s particularly lovely that we’re going out with a double-bill and that people are invested in it.”

What would you say to Casualty fans who are worried about the future of the show and whether it will return?

“I can give everyone complete reassurance that filming doesn't stop [when the show’s off air] and that we will be back with a bang! I can also tell you that we start filming a [standalone] Christmas special next week and it’s going to be big!”

Can you tell us any more about the Christmas special?

“I read the scripts a few days ago and they’re beautiful! It will be directed by Steve Hughes, who did our COVID-19 special, the NHS 75th anniversary episode and the paramedic special. It’s got a lovely documentary/drama element with It’s a Wonderful Life vibes!"

We can’t wait! Do you have a dream storyline for Stevie?

“What we’re filming at the minute, as Stevie is on the threshold of a big storyline! I like exploring things where you get to interact with another core character in a different way.

“I would also love to do a live episode. I was talking to Melanie about this and she said it’s her worst nightmare, but I like the idea of the stakes being raised, something possibly going wrong, and being on a knife edge for one night!”

Full spoilers for Casualty double-bill The Truth Will Set You Free and Freedom

The Truth Will Set You Free and Freedom air on BBC1 on Saturday 07 September 2024 from 8.25pm. These episodes are available on BBC iPlayer from 6am.

Melanie Hill reveals Siobhan is "completely blindsided" by Rich’s betrayal

Michael Keogh on Stevie, Siobhan and Rich’s intense affair

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