Bbc Casualty pulled tonight — what Saturday-night viewers need to know about the schedule shake-up and the show's return

If you planned to tune into casualty on Saturday night (21 February), the disruption hits viewers first: the long-running medical drama won’t air tonight as the channel is running live sports coverage instead. The break is explicitly to accommodate the Six Nations rugby match between Wales and Scotland at Principality Stadium, and the show is scheduled to be back next week on 28 February.

Casualty disruption: how the change affects Saturday-night viewers

Fans should note this is a mid-series pause rather than a cancellation; the series will resume after the sports broadcast. Here’s the part that matters for anyone arranging a Saturday viewing: tonight’s slot is being used for the Wales v Scotland Six Nations fixture, and regular primetime entertainment and drama will follow the match throughout the evening.

How the evening’s schedule is being reshaped

The broadcaster’s sports coverage begins at 4pm with kick-off forty minutes later at Principality Stadium, with commentators Gabby Logan and John Inverdale on duty for the third round fixture. After the match, the evening line-up continues with Gladiators at 7: 15pm, a comedy/variety show an hour later, and a new drama based on Marian Keyes's novels at 9: 15pm ahead of the news. Casualty will return to the usual slot next Saturday (28 February).

When the episode returns and how to watch it

Episode 7 of the current boxset, titled 'Learning Curve, ' is confirmed to air on Saturday, 28 February at 8. 30pm on the channel and will be available on the broadcaster’s streaming service from 6am that morning. The break is brief, and the episode’s teaser sets up a tense reinspection of Holby ED.

Embedded plot details for the returning episode

Viewers should expect the CQC to make a return visit as Flynn Byron prepares for a reinspection after earlier problems at Holby, including several avoidable deaths and questionable workplace practices that have put the department under scrutiny. Matty Linlaker and Kim Chang are under particular pressure: tensions around a previous complaint and their current behaviour could complicate the inspection.

Character arcs and spoilers outlined for next week

• Kim struggles with an eating disorder, pushes herself physically (including a jog into work), makes herself sick and celebrates hitting a 500% daily movement goal; her vision blurs while treating patients.
• Matty is dealing with personal turmoil after learning Dylan is his biological father; Dylan remains purposefully detached while Matty pretends nothing has changed.
• With consultants away, Flynn is surprised when Ceri arrives in the evening for inspection; Ceri is initially impressed but experiences a flashback to working in an ED during COVID.
• On the interpersonal front, Teddy Gowan and Jacob Masters clash over PC Ashley Sullivan’s arrest of Blake Gardner; tensions ease after a joint callout and there’s pressure for an apology that could see a complaint withdrawn.
• A high-stakes medical moment: Matty attempts a lumbar puncture with Kim reading instructions from her phone, but Kim’s worsening vision leads to wrong orders that threaten the patient and jeopardise the inspection.
• Siobhan McKenzie receives news that police have made an arrest after her attacker’s DNA was found on her uniform; later it emerges the suspect, Chris, was a patient and a colleague, Cam, realises Siobhan treated him in the ED — a fact that could undermine the case.

Note: the upcoming coverage contains discussion of topics including rape; viewer discretion is advised.

What’s easy to miss is how the inspection storyline ties multiple character crises together—personal struggles feed directly into professional risk. The real question now is whether next week’s episode resolves those immediate threats to staff and patients or raises the stakes even higher.

• Key takeaways: Casualty is off air tonight (21 February) because of live Six Nations coverage; the match kicks off forty minutes after a 4pm broadcast start at Principality Stadium.
• Episode 7, 'Learning Curve, ' returns on Saturday 28 February at 8. 30pm and will also be available on the broadcaster’s streaming service from 6am.
• The central plot points: a CQC reinspection, Kim’s deteriorating health affecting clinical decisions, Matty’s personal fallout, a tense lumbar puncture sequence, interpersonal conflict over an arrest, and a fragile legal breakthrough in Siobhan’s assault case.
• Viewer advisory: the episode’s content includes sexual assault themes.

If you’re wondering why this keeps coming up: the show’s short break is procedural—live sport occasionally displaces scheduled dramas—so plan to catch the episode on the streaming service from early morning if you can’t make the evening slot.