After fifteen weeks off air, Casualty finally returned to screens tonight with a hugely dramatic episode that saw the lives of some Holby ED staff changed forever.

Casualty returned to BBCOne tonight for the first time since September 16. Picking up just a few weeks after it let off, it saw the Holby City ED in chaos as they dealt with the fallout from ongoing storylines along with new dramas.

Before it broke for over three months, several storylines were left hanging. Clinical Lead Max Cristie (Nigel Harman) had realised that his donated kidney was failing. Although he continued to try and work through his symptoms it was becoming more and more difficult. Nurse Faith Cadgan (Kirsty Mitchell) had also been forced to confront her demons and admit her drug addiction.

Most shockingly of all, the clinical nurse manager of the ED Donna Jackson (Jaye Jacobs) had been jailed after falling asleep at the wheel, crashing her car, and leaving a woman with life-changing injuries. As the show returned tonight, she was still nowhere to be seen and Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) was somewhat frazzled covering her.

Her absence was felt throughout the department thanks to the hole it left in the nursing roster. As the episode opened Faith was contemplating going back to work.

Max Cristie opened up to his daughter about his kidney failure in Casualty (Image: BBC)

After attending rehab she was clean for 42 days although still nervous about returning. However, she inadvertantly found herself back in the ED when she helped a young diabetic woman who collapsed at a bus stop.

Max was continuing to struggle with his illness and when his daughter Jodie Whyte (Anna Chell) tackled him about being unwell, he finally confided in her. Despite their difficult relationship, she sympathised with him and the pair bonded somewhat.

However, the most dramatic scenes came courtesy of the son of one of the patients in the ED. After being told his mother had died he went on a rant blaming the hospital.

As nurse Ryan Firth (Eddie-Joe Robinson) attempted to empathise, the man viciously attacked him. Ryan was taken to the operating theatre with a ruptured spleen as Dr Stevie Nash (Elinor Tomlinson) broke the news to the rest of the department.

As she took responsibility for cleaning up after the attack, it was clear that she was deeply affected and that this would have ripple effects on the already overstretched department.

Dr Stevie Nash had to deal with the aftermath of the vicious attack on Ryan Fyrth in Casualty (Image: BBC)

Fans were thrilled to have the long-running medical drama back and all agreed on one thing taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, to make their feelings known.

Jane wrote: “It’s so good to have casualty back and great to see faith in recovery let’s hope it keeps going in the right direction for her #casualty.” (sic)

Chloe gushed: “#Casualty time finallyyyyyyy (3 and a half months it’s been off?!?! Crazy!!).” (sic)

Another delighted Casualty fan wrote: “I can finally do my weekly I love Dylan Keogh tweets again! #casualty.” (sic)