The fifth series of the British medical drama television series Casualty commenced airing in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 7 September 1990 and finished on 7 December 1990.
Peter Norris continued as producer in Series 5 and courageously chose to expose viewers to harrowing scenarios: a riot at a football stadium, a car race with drunk drivers, a negligent grandfather causing a child's death, a prisoner who has been raped, and an unemployed man driven to murder by jealousy. He trusted that viewers would recognise these events as the horrific consequences of preventable actions.
A new star appeared in the form of Duffy's baby Peter, played by Derek Thompson's real life son Charlie. The series concluded with a dramatic end-of-series cliffhanger where an armed madman, portrayed by Kenneth Cranham, took Megan hostage and ultimately shot Charlie, but would he survive?
The fifth series of Casualty features a cast of characters working in the emergency department of Holby City Hospital. The series began with 6 roles with star billing. Derek Thompson continues his role as charge nurse Charlie Fairhead, Cathy Shipton stars as sister Lisa "Duffy" Duffin, and Brenda Fricker appears as state enrolled nurse Megan Roach. Geoffrey Leesley and Ian Bleasdale portrays paramedics Keith Cotterill and Josh Griffiths, while Robson Green plays porter Jimmy Powell.
Nigel Le Vaillant, Mamta Kaash, Patrick Robinson, Maggie McCarthy and Eamon Boland joined the cast in episode one as registrar Julian Chapman, senior house officer Beth Ramanee, staff nurse Martin "Ash" Ashford, receptionist Helen Green and social worker Tony Walker. Caroline Webster debuted in episode two as paramedic Jane Scott. Boland left the series in episode ten and McCarthy departed in episode thirteen. Leesley chose to leave the series after four years making his final appearance in episode five. Fricker bowed out as Megan in episode thirteen, after playing the character in 65 episodes. Fricker states "People thought I left because I won the Oscar, but I had already decided to go by then. Oscar or no Oscar, Megan didn't develop in the way she was meant to."
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