As the longest running primetime medical drama in the world, it is fitting Casualty’s set,

which is based in BBC’s Roath Lock Studios in Wales, is one of the most inpressive and detailed

I have ever visited. It is literally like walking into a real life NHS hospital. But it’s the little touches – many of which you barely see on screen – that really make the set feel authentic.

As a fan of the show, I was delighted to be invited to spend a day in the hallowed halls of Holby ED but I did not expect it to be quite so moving. Tributes to former cast members are littered about the place adding an authenticity and a poignancy to the set. Unlike many TV sets, which are comprised of three fake walls and cameras where the fourth wall should be, the first thing you notice is the Casualty set is a fully fuctional space.

The iconic reception area is exactly as it looks on screen and the resus rooms, staff room, and all the other areas so familiar to viewers actually exisit and are not just wheeled in as and when they are needed.

However, it is the personal touches which really elevate the set. Walking into the ‘staff room’, where many dramas have occurred throughout the years, your eye is drawn to the back of the room and a notice board filled with pictures of previous cast members laughing and smiling in shots that are similar to those displayed in staff common areas everywhere around the UK.

The board features images of much-loved departed characters such as Robin Miller (played by Amanda Henderson), Jeff Collier (Matt Bardock), Kathleen “Dixie” Dixon (Jane Hazlegrove), Lisa “Duffy” Duffin (Catherine Shipton) and Noel Garcia, (Tony Marshall). Of course Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) who left the show last year after 38 years also features in the shots.

Producer Sarah Beardsall, who was my guide for the set tour, said that this area isn’t often seen in shot. However, if eagle eyed fans want to keep an eye out, it is hanging in the far left hand corner of the room.

It transpires the Holby ED staff also have excellent taste in reading material, as the Daily Express is part of the staff room set also. It sits in a wall mounted magazine rack for the fictional staff to flick through on their well-deserved breaks.

But this isn’t only the staff room paying subtle homage to departed cast members. The fridge feezer in the ambulance bay area also features a selection of images.

There is also another notice board decorated with photos as you walk through to the call centre, which is a fairly recent addition to the set.

Every guest on the tour found these little tributes quite moving, especially the images of characters who have met tragic ends on the show such as Robin. It made the set feel much more like an authentic work environment.

As a long time fan of the show, I loved this attention to detail and with the show’s 40th anniversary just around the corner, it is touches like these that give it real heart and ensure it continues to resonate with fans.