Casualty Spoilers 20 August 2011

[Perdita]

Saturday 20 August
Time to be confirmed BBC ONE
www.bbc.co.uk/casualty

Two new nurses join the team as Scarlett and Lloyd start their first shift in the ED, while teaching assistant, Harry – played by Lee Mead – also comes unstuck in his new job, as the drama continues.

Charlie launches into his spiel about the "importance of caring", as he welcomes Scarlett and Lloyd to Holby ED. Lloyd is confident and gets off to a racing start – saving the life of his first patient in resus – but Scarlett is nervous and seems convinced that her skills lie more in flirting with consultants than in patient care.

Across town, Harry has also got first day nerves. He is immediately involved in an altercation with problem student Lee. When a more experienced teacher also gets it wrong and lashes out, Harry is forced to choose between the student and his colleague.

[Perdita]

Lee Mead has revealed that he was delighted when he discovered he had landed his guest part in Casualty.

The West End star makes a one-off appearance in the BBC medical drama this Saturday, playing a teaching assistant who accompanies a pupil to the Emergency Department.

Speaking to TV Times about how the role came about, Mead explained: "I auditioned about a year ago for a regular part playing Jordan's would-be son Kieron. Then recently they asked if I'd like to read for a guest part. I was so chuffed to hear that I'd got the role. I couldn't believe it!"

"I've done 10 years of theatre but this was my first TV job and my first time working with cameras," he continued. "When I did my first take I was taken by surprise - suddenly 18 crew members walked in and watched. In the theatre, the audience are in their seats but you haven't got crew members walking on mid-show and staring at you!"

Mead added that he has wanted to take on television work for some time.

"When I was 18, I wanted to study acting but couldn't afford the fees," he said. "I've intended to go back to it since 2007 but I got the role of Joseph, made albums and had my daughter Betsy too. The decision to study again was hard, but I took a year and a half off and went to New York for three months to do a film course."

Casualty airs on Saturday at 8.55pm on BBC One.