There will be disappointment for Casualty fans this weekend as the latest episode of the hit drama has been shelved, in order for the BBC to dedicate its primetime schedule to the Eurovision Song Contest.

Hospital based show Casualty has now been on TV for over three decades, with a real end of an era coming earlier this series, when long serving member of staff and huge fan favourite Charlie Fairhead bid goodbye to Holby. In an emotional farewell, fans were left concerned for Charlie, with his life hanging in the balance after a stabbing.

Thankfully, while a flashback sequence, involving a young Charlie, hinted that his days could be numbered, thankfully the Casualty legend wasn’t killed off and ended living to walk the corridors of the hospital one last time, before driving away in the very same Beetle he arrived for his first shift in.

Casualty’s current cast includes the likes of Barney Walsh and the current series has continued in Charlie’s absence BUT it won’t be on this coming Saturday, May 11, as Eurovision takes over BBC One from 8pm until at least midnight. The clearing of the TV schedule to make room for the annual event, also means that Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel has been shelved and legendary football highlights show Match of the Day switched to BBC Two.

After its absence from BBC listings this week, Casualty will be back at 8.25pm on May 18, with a synopsis for the episode reading: “Assessment day is here for Rash, but he struggles to face going through with it – particularly after he is consumed with guilt when he fails to spot a potentially fatal complication until a patient goes into cardiac arrest. Faith is shocked when someone from her Narcotics Anonymous meetings is brought in for treatment, and Ngozi imposes on Rosie and Nicole’s relationship.”