BBC One medical drama Casualty will be put out to competitive tender.

It sounds confusing but essentially, this tendering process will decide which producer makes the show, though the BBC will retain all the rights for the programme.

Casualty will also continue to air on BBC One.

BBC Commissioning will invite pitches from producers, and a full list of eligibility criteria and requirements for the drama will be shared openly with all suppliers.

This news and change has left many fans fearing what this means for the show. Given the BBC’s decision to axe Holby City and Doctors, some were wondering if Casualty’s fate is uncertain.

However, Metro understands that this development does not impact Casualty’s future, and the process is simply something the BBC has to do.

The tender will underpin the BBC’s commitment to Casualty, which means viewers can continue to enjoy the series across iPlayer and BBC One.

Casualty will continue to be filmed in Cardiff, playing a vital role in the production ecology in Wales.

David Pembrey, Chief Operating Officer, BBC Content, said: ‘The award-winning Casualty is a hugely important continuing drama which has been on our screens since 1986.

‘We are opening it to competition as part of our ongoing commitment to delivering the very best value for audiences.’

The tendering of returning series is part of the Charter and Agreement requirement to open up more of the BBC’s TV programmes to competition, which comes after the launch of the BBC’s Compete or Compare strategy in 2014.