Exile (Casualty)

On 17 April 2015, Sophie Dainty of Digital Spy reported that Casualty would shortly be airing an episode set in Romania, focusing on Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) and Connie Beauchamp (Amanda Mealing) in their search for Charlie's drug addicted son Louis (Gregory Foreman), who has been admitted to a hospital after being attacked.[1]

When the crew began discussing the episode, executive producer Oliver Kent had doubts about taking the drama out of its regular setting, as he thought it would appear "odd". Producer Jonathan Phillips agreed that it was not something they took lightly, as Holby is their characters' home.[2] Series producer Erika Hossington said the first step was how they would make that achievable and how it would impact in terms of the story.[2] Unlike typical Casualty episodes, "Exile" follows one story, as opposed to multiple story arcs and characters.[2] Kent thought it worked well because it focuses on two of the show's most important characters – Charlie and Connie – sorting out their friendship, as well as Charlie's relationship with his son Louis, which the audience knows well.[2] Hossington explained that Louis is central to the story. Regular viewers would have been aware that Louis has been travelling around Europe, and the idea of the episode was to put him in jeopardy, so Charlie would have to come to his rescue.[2]

Phillips stated that the goal of the episode was to take Charlie and Connie on "an absolute rollercoaster", before reaching a pivotal point in their respective story arcs.[2] Kent pointed out that the story is all about Connie and Charlie and that it goes far deeper than they usually go in the episodes. The secrets between the characters would remain with them and the audience.[2] Kent hoped "Exile" would become "a talking point" among viewers in the future, saying "I think it has all the elements of a classic Casualty.[4] He added that it had suspense, great character moments and Charlie and Connie doing what they do best, which is looking after people and each other.[2]

The episodes broadcast before "Exile" had focused on Connie hitting her lowest point, after she was accused of murder and imprisoned. Charlie supported Connie through her ordeal, as he is her only friend. Thompson thought that they had formed a sibling-like relationship, despite being opposites.[2] Mealing explained that as Charlie has supported Connie, she feels that she has to go to Romania with him. The actress described their trip as "a strange, tangent journey" and said "a very different Connie" emerges.[5] Thompson joked that Charlie and Connie appear to swap heads during their trip, as Charlie becomes more forceful whereas Connie is more cautious and caring.[3] Mealing thought that both characters go through a rite of passage. Connie is initially there to help Charlie, but they soon clash and they tell each other some harsh truths.[2]

Thompson did not have to do much research for the episode. As a father of two sons, he found it easy to imagine what Charlie was going through with Louis.[6] He also told Elaine Reilly of What's on TV that he used his second-hand experience of heroin addiction to help him with the episode. He explained that he had a friend whose daughter is an addict, so he knew what his friend had been through with that.[3] Foreman commented that going to Romania and filming the episode made him realise that they were "on to something special".[2] Romanian doctor Alex Anghelescu (Florian Ghimpu) was introduced as a love interest for Connie during the episode. She and Alex bond and later have a one-night stand.[6] Sarah Ellis of Inside Soap observed that since Connie returned to Holby in 2014, she had been so consumed with work that she had no time for romance. Ellis questioned whether Alex was the right man for Connie or whether she would regret getting close to him later.[6] Thompson observed that Connie "blossoms like a rose" when she kisses Alex.[3]

The episode was filmed on location in Bucharest and at the MediaPro Studios from late November to early December 2014.[2][4][7] Peter Dyke of the Daily Star reported that "Exile" marked the first time an entire Casualty episode had been filmed abroad. He also reported that producers were keen to shoot more episodes abroad in the future due to the good experience.[8] Director Steve Hughes explained that the shoot was more complicated than normal. He and some of the crew members came over shortly before filming to scout locations and start the casting process.[2] Hossington said Hughes "relished" the chance to work on the episode, as it is "very filmic" and shot entirely on location. He had a chance to have fun with the camera and what he was doing.[2] Hughes liked that he had the opportunity to work on a bigger scale and he made sure he worked with a director of photography and an operator that he trusted, while also using the Romanian crew, whose background is in film. He added that they wanted the episode to have a "Casualty: The Movie" feel to it.[2]

Mealing liked the beauty of the city and directness of the Romanian people. She commented "And what was lovely was that while the crew were half-British, half-Romanian, there was no 'us and them'. It was just one unit working together as a team."[6] Thompson was ill with bronchitis during filming, and while the winter weather did nothing to improve his condition, he called the shoot "a dream to do". He found that his illness helped him with his performance during Charlie's angry scenes.[3] Thompson enjoyed filming the car chase at the end of the episode, which he said was "thrilling", as he was not often in the middle of the show's stunts. He also added that it was cold, as the car's rear window had been shot out.[3] The worsening weather in Romania meant it was not safe to complete filming on the chase and it was later recreated in the UK.[6] Towards the end of the episode, Thompson pays homage to actor Bob Hoskins's performance in the final scenes of The Long Good Friday, as Charlie accepts what is happening to him.[3]