BBC announce Casualty’s first ever  transgender character

Arin Smethurst has joined the cast of Casualty to play Sah, the show’s first transgender character in a continuing role. 

The character Sah is transgender and non-binary and will join the paramedic team alongside Jan played by Di Botcher, Teddy, Milo Clarke’s character, and Iain, who is depicted by Michael Stevenson, on the hit medical drama.

On the signing, non-binary Arin said: ‘I am honoured to be joining the spectacular Casualty family as a shiny new paramedic! I’m so excited to portray this transgender, non-binary, salty but fiercely compassionate character’. 

A BBC press release describes Sah as: ‘A cool character who never wants to be seen trying too hard, or showing their feelings…

‘But they soon meet their match when working with boss Jan, who suspects a big heart is hiding somewhere inside their chilly exterior.’ 

On the hopes for raising awareness with the role, Arin continued: ‘I hope they are not only well-received, but also a source of awareness for those who have never met someone like me. I can’t wait for you to meet Sah!’

Deborah Sathe, Senior Executive Producer of Casualty and Holby City, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Arin to the Casualty family and launch our new paramedic Sah for the Saturday night audience….

Trailblazing: The character Sah is transgender and non-binary and will join the paramedic team alongside Jan played by Di Botcher, Teddy, (right) Milo Clarke’s character, and Iain, who is depicted by Michael Stevenson, on the hit medical drama

‘Sah will get themselves into all sorts of professional adventures whilst masking their own personal sorrow. In a world where our privacy is something to be treasured, will Sah be able to keep theirs?’

Fans of the show were quick to laud the news after its Twitter announcement. 

Users on the microblogging site penned: ‘Brilliant news, well done Casualty. Great to see TV becoming more representative of the world as it is now… Best of luck to Arin!… Brilliant news and congratulations to Arin… Awesome news!’

Casualty is Arin’s first television role, after having graduated from Rose Bruford Drama school in Sidcup last year. They will first appear later this month.

Cool: A BBC press release describes Sah as: ‘A cool character who never wants to be seen trying too hard, or showing their feelings’

In 2016, Misia Butler, a transgender actor, played the role of Robert in a fleeting storyline addressing transphobia – which was partly praised and in other parts condemned for being to short to properly address the issues. 

Misia spoke with Gay Star News about his involvement, saying: ‘The experience was really great on the whole and the whole cast and crew were so lovely.

‘I think some of the crew thought I was a cisgender girl playing a trans guy so used she pronouns but I corrected them and they got it right after that…

Yay! Fans of the show were quick to laud the news after its Twitter announcement

‘I found that as an actor the whole process was a lot less about me than I thought but I definitely didn’t feel like my voice wasn’t being heard…

‘I was allowed to change lines slightly to make them more correct like “I’m a guy now” to “I’m a guy”. I really liked the storyline and though I haven’t experienced transphobia like that from anyone it really touched me…

‘The speech I make wasn’t hard to act because the words made me so emotional anyway.’

Starring: In 2016, Misia Butler, a transgender actor, played the role of Robert in a fleeting storyline addressing transphobia – which was partly praised and in other parts condemned for being to short to properly address the issues