Casualty spoilers follow.
Casualty star Arin Smethurst has praised the show for how they handled the backstory for their character Sah Brockner.
Speaking exclusively with Digital Spy, Smethurst said they were glad to see the show acknowledge Sah's trans and non-binary identity, while also making sure it wasn't the character's only storyline.
"I am glad because they came in as the first regularly occurring trans character, and the first non-binary character, and I think it it would have been very easy to be just be like 'this is what the character is' but that is a part of them and there are hundreds of other facets to them," they said.
Related: Casualty's improvised episode teased in trailer
"I am really chuffed about the way they handled that, and they were like 'Cool, so here's the character but anyway… they have got this other stuff going on'," the star continued.
"It was great to have a proper, really chunky story to hold on to and work on in terms of the character, and not just their queer identity which would have been boring and easy. It's been really nice to have a meaty backstory to dig into."
Smethurst also touched on Casualty's upcoming improvised episode airing tomorrow night (December 10), which will see several characters go off script as they replicate the pressure faced by paramedics on a daily basis.
Discussing Sah's role in the episodes, they revealed that the show will explore the dynamic between Sah and their boss Jan Jenning (Di Botcher).
Related: Casualty star reveals Jan twist in improvised ep
"I think in the improv episode, they do come to understand each other a lot better," Smethurst said, reflecting on the tension between the two characters.
"There is this generational gap which we have been trying to portray about either working yourself to the bone vs self-care.
"Sah wants to support Jan who has not looked after herself and is now suffering the consequences of it. It's a huge moment in their friendship and their careers as well."
Casualty airs on Saturdays on BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer.
Read more Casualty spoilers on our dedicated homepage
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