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Casualty fans will have a chance to view a unique, one-off 'webisode' of the medical drama specially-written for the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ website from Saturday 31 October.

Screened directly after the transmission of Casualty episode nine on ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One, the one x eight-minute mini-episode will follow the gritty and dramatic storyline of down-and-out Alistair (Joe McFadden) and paramedic Polly (Sophia di Martino) and is the first online episode ever to be screened by a ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Continuing Drama.

Episode 9.1 Casualty – The Parting Of The Ways will pick up Alistair and Polly's story from the end of the televised episode nine when Polly calls the police about Alistair and will focus on the dark seven days until the start of episode 10 (³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ One, Saturday 7 November) when Alistair has been released from custody.

Slowly following Alistair's descent into madness, the webisode portrays the seedy underbelly of life on the streets and presents an alternative viewpoint to the main harassment storyline.

Written and devised by Casualty script editor David Roden, the mini-episode was made in close consultation with actor Joe McFadden and was designed to present a grittier, rawer view of Casualty and delve more deeply into the character and problems of Alistair.

Executive producer Belinda Campbell says: "We are always looking at new ways to add value for our loyal fans and this innovative mini-episode will open a window on a hitherto unseen world and give viewers access to a character they wouldn’t have in a normal episode.

"David, Joe and Sophia have worked really hard to make this a really special viewing opportunity for die-hard Casualty lovers."

Joe McFadden says: "It was really interesting to shoot in a very different way and great fun to explore my character in a bit more depth and show a gritty side of Casualty that viewers don't normally get to see."

When Alistair returns to the hostel after letting himself into Polly's flat he is on a high because Polly finally told him that she loved him and he knows his life on the streets is now over. From tomorrow morning, he will be moving in with Polly. But Alistair's world comes crashing down around his ears when he is arrested – and questioned about breaking into Polly's flat. He denies any wrong doing, and is confused about what is happening to him.

When Polly gives evidence against him in the police station he is crushed – she loves him, so what has turned her against him? As Alistair tries to make sense of the past few days he realises that the person behind Polly's change of heart is none other than her colleague Jeff...

Casualty – The Parting Of The Ways can be seen on bbc.co.uk/casualty at around 9.00pm on Saturday 31 October 2009. It will also be available via the red button and as a downloadable mobisode.

FW / BW2