List of The Royal episodes

Dr. David Cheriton arrives at St. Aidan's Royal Free Hospital in Elsinby, newly qualified and keen to impress at his job interview – only to discover they are not even expecting him. Meanwhile, Dr. Jill Weatherill's professional competence is called into question during a home visit, and hospital porter Ken Hopkirk's efforts to put up a television aerial end in disaster. Heartbeat characters: Gina Ward (Briefly) (Tricia Penrose), PC Phil Bellamy (Mark Jordon), Claude Greengrass (Bill Maynard)

A romantic escapade goes horribly wrong when a young couple are involved in a motorbike accident, and the tragic events of the night leave the staff of St Aiden's struggling to heal more than just a broken heart. Dr. Ormerod grows suspicious when one of his patients is uneasy about returning home, but an investigation by Matron soon reveals the reasons for his reluctance. Meanwhile, Ken and Alun face trouble when a plague of rodents looks set to close down the hospital – but is Claude Greengrass really the best person to ask for advice?

Claude Greengrass causes a kerfuffle with a coffin containing the remains of his deceased sister and a mysterious phone call only serves to raise suspicions. Jill Weatherill has trouble with a patient who refuses to accept her condition, while Dr. Cheriton panics when he arrives at the scene of an accident bereft of vital medical equipment.

Sister Bridget discovers a baby on the steps of the hospital. PC Bellamy and Dr. Alway link it to a girls disappearance for a couple of days. Dr. Alway sets out to find the girl and informs her shocked parents that their daughter has had a baby. Heartbeat characters: Claude Greengrass (Bill Maynard), PC Phil Bellamy (Mark Jordon)

Dr. Cheriton has the unenviable task of informing a patient she has little time to live, and the situation soon prompts the wedding of the year. Arriving at the scene of an accident at the railway station, Dr. Ormerod is forced to make a drastic decision, but an oncoming train signals disaster. Gambling fever grips the hospital when a champion jockey is admitted and, as always, Greengrass is in the thick of the furore.

The cause of a schoolboy's illness is found too close to home, while a bit of teamwork brings Ormerod and Weatherill closer than they expect. Cheriton's flatwarming party goes with a bang, and Ventress spots an impostor on the ward.

On Dr. Alway's last day before retirement, a serious coach crash throws the Royal into chaos. For one member of the staff, the incident proves exceptionally traumatic. Cheriton has a bombshell for Nurse Taylor and Greengrass is re-admitted to the hospital.

Dr Ormerod struggles to cope with the news about his wife and turns to Weatherill for comfort. When an emergency at sea arises, Dr Cheriton and Staff Nurse Taylor are sent to help. Greengrass's is surprised when he learns he has a long-lost daughter. Eve Peterson comes to the hospital after undergoing an illegal abortion. The staff have to perform an urgent hysterectomy. Meanwhile, the hospital morgue is used as temporary storage when a Fish-and-Chip shop fridge breaks down.

A teenage boy is brought into the Royal having fallen from a cliff, but it soon emerges that the incident was a suicide attempt. Cheriton contacts the youngster's psychiatrist, but is taken aback when electroshock therapy is suggested as a form of treatment, so ventures to the family home to recommend an alternative – only for tragedy to strike. Meanwhile, a hypochondriac causes chaos at the hospital when she insists her dog be treated following a snake bite, and a heart-to-heart between Weatherill and Ormerod leads to a passionate kiss. Heartbeat characters: Constable Philip “Phil” Bellamy (Mark Jordon)

Sister Brigid has a crisis of faith over a mother whose life is in danger. Family secrets are exposed when a hunting trip ends in tragedy, and Ken and Harper clash over the hospital laundry.

Ormerod rushes to help following a boating accident, but realises he has been sent to the wrong location. When he arrives at the accident, his efforts to save a man's life are in vain. He angrily chastises Lizzie for the misinformation - only to realise he was too hasty in blaming her. Meanwhile, PC Ventress comes to the Royal with two men who had been fighting over a girl, and one promptly collapses due to a brain haemorrhage. Weatherill is tested when she helps deliver a stillborn baby Nurse Meryl believes she is pregnant.

As preparations get under way for the Royal's charity ball, Ken Hopkirk is forced to rescue the band hired for the evening when their van breaks down en route. Meanwhile, Dr. Weatherill faces a traumatic time as one of her patients discovers she has contracted syphilis and Dr. Ormerod resolves to move on when it emerges that his wife will not recover from her coma.

A student nurse causes quite a stir when she arrives in the middle of the night, while Ken and Alun contend with a farming family suffering a crisis. Brigid and Jill deliver a Down's syndrome baby whose parents do not want anything to do with it, and Lizzie's crash diet has alarming consequences. First Appearance of Anna Madeley as Student Nurse Samantha Beaumont

Alun is involved in a road accident caused by a man who recently suffered a stroke. Student nurse Samantha Beaumont fails to impress Matron and Sister Brigid when she put pink sheets on the ward's beds. Meanwhile, tragedy strikes at The Royal vs. Ashfordly General rugby match, as Cheriton dives to score a try, only to be pounced on by opponents. His injuries are serious and despite Ormerod's efforts to save him, Cheriton dies. Last Appearance of Julian Ovenden as Dr David Cheriton

New GP and anaesthetist Dr. Jeffrey Goodwin has a tough first day when he witnesses a car crash, gets attacked by one of the drivers involved and has his own vehicle and possessions stolen. After recovering from his injuries, Goodwin treats local landowner Lord Firminger who collapsed on his estate and he gets off to a bad start with Mr. Rose when he asks him to perform emergency surgery on a cancer patient. Elsewhere, Cheriton's mother Annette arrives to collect her son's things, surprising staff nurse Meryl Taylor by revealing a photo of a fiancée she never knew about. First Appearance of Paul Fox as Dr Jeff Goodwin

A TV film crew comes to the hospital, which excites the staff. Mr Harper is desperate to be caught on camera and his dreams of stardom may come true when Mr Middleditch gives him an important job for the broadcast. Elsewhere, Dr. Ormerod and Meryl are called out to help a boy who has been trapped below the surface of an icy lake for 20 minutes. To make matters worse, the ambulance carrying him to hospital gets caught in a snowdrift. Meanwhile, Ray Piper is brought in with a huge bump on his head – and there's much hilarity when it turns out his wife has hit him with a frozen turkey. Before the day is out, he is not the only member of his family to be admitted.

Brigid arrives at a decision and Lucy Klein is disturbed by the reappearance of a figure from the past. Mr. Harper rests on his laurels, certain his future is assured, while Ormerod and Weatherill reveal they are about to end their relationship – only to find the news is already common knowledge.

Goodwin comes to the aid of a man brought in with a leg injury, which his friend claims was sustained in an agricultural accident, but it soon emerges that it is a gunshot wound, prompting his friend to pull a revolver on the hospital staff. As armed police surround the Royal, the doctors strive to persuade him to hand over the gun, but will they be able to prevent further bloodshed? Meanwhile, Ormerod helps fossil collectors hurt in a landslide, Matron tries to convince Sister Brigid to return to work and Samantha is less than impressed at the offer of a date with Alun.

Ormerod faces a taxing time when a prison van overturns on the moors. The driver is killed, a guard is seriously injured and one of the convicts escapes, while the others are rounded up and taken for treatment at the hospital, where Ken Hopkirk recognises an old friend. Goodwin fails to diagnose a serious case of post-natal depression – an error which almost ends in tragedy when the mother is found standing perilously close to a cliff-edge. Samantha discovers she has an unexpected love rival.

Ormerod's father-in-law arrives demanding to know whether he was seeing Dr. Weatherill, while his late daughter was still alive. It soon emerges that the disgruntled patriarch has hired a private detective to investigate the couple – but the situation only serves to bring them closer together, culminating in a marriage proposal. At the Royal, a painfully thin girl causes concern for Goodwin – whose green-eyed monster emerges when student nurse Samantha Beaumont agrees to a date with a younger man. The hospital is evacuated after a suicide victim's corpse is brought in emitting toxic fumes.

Jill and Gordon's wedding day finally arrives, but a huge explosion at a nearby care home disrupts proceedings in spectacular fashion. As the Royal staff help pull the elderly residents out of the rubble, the horrifying truth behind the cause of the accident is discovered.

Samantha struggles to cope with the reality of her recent discovery and takes desperate action which leaves her life hanging in the balance. Frankie and Gordon attempt a daring rescue to help a teenager in danger on the weir, while Ken has something to hide from Harper. Jeff's casual encounter with a friend of Lizzie's suddenly turns serious when he realises his career could be at risk.

Nurse Stella Davenport arrives at the Royal with a less than favourable reputation, and soon causes a stir among the staff and patients as rumours about her circulate the hospital. Matron and Harper discover a new approach to interviewing when they try to fill a ward domestic vacancy, while Dr. Ormerod is left to deal with the dramatic aftermath of a domestic dispute, and Lizzie realises her new scooter might have been an ill-advised purchase.

Matron is forced to change her plans after a tragic turn of events and decides to withdraw her resignation. Nurse Taylor grows closer to Jeff as they tackle an unusual medical emergency, but later finds herself confronted by an angry Frankie. Harper's money-saving schemes backfire in spectacular fashion when his attempt at fixing the hospital boiler causes it to explode, while an argument over a patient's health sparks off a chain of events which leaves Gordon's life hanging in the balance.

Dr. Ormerod returns to work after his accident, but when his brusque treatment of a hypochondriac schoolgirl ends in tragedy, it is clear he still needs time to recover. New nurse Catherine Deane starts her rounds on the wards, and Mr. Middleditch has a surprise announcement to make. First Appearance of Amelia Curtis as Staff Nurse Catherine Deane

Mr. Middleditch brings his reign to an end as he hands over the ledgers to the new administrator - having craftily secured the hospital's future. Dr. Ormerod's plaster comes off, Mr. Rose risks his own skin to save a friend during a game of golf, and a trivial accident leads a family to make a major and heartbreaking discovery. First Appearance of Robert Cavanah as Adam Carnegie

The arrival of a new locum ruffles some feathers. A day at the races seems a perfect location for Carnegie and Catherine to enjoy they first date - but only if they can keep out of everyone's way.

A patient who set fire to his own shop attempts to avoid police questioning by leaping into an ambulance and driving off towards the pier - unaware that Alun and a sick man are in the back of the vehicle. Dr Makori fears for her relationship with Dr Fox when he tells her he has been offered a job in Biafra

Lady Isabella Martindale has had a horse riding accident and is driven to The Royal by her chauffeur Tom, who Lizzie takes an instant liking to. While Mr Rose diagnoses Lady Isabella with a broken ankle, Adam Carnegie tries to charm her into making a donation to the private wards.

Due to a mix-up over the job offer two new doctors arrive at the hospital to take up the position. Meanwhile, Catherine makes her feelings clear to Carnegie about their relationship and Stella's night out ends badly.

An expectant mother attends for treatment, but is harassed by her ex-husband. Stella is relieved to find she has not contracted an infection from her attacker, but suffers accusations of lying to save her reputation. Meanwhile, Sister Brigid makes a misguided suggestion, and a surprise visitor from overseas forces Goodwin to reconsider his future plans.

Mr Middleditch makes a surprise return to the hospital in the back of an ambulance, having hurt his ankle while fishing. Stella grudgingly welcomes Marian McKaig as her room-mate, but the new nurse quickly catches Alun's eye. Meanwhile, a frantic mother calls for Mike's help at a hippie commune, where her hostile husband is refusing help from the outside world. First Appearance of Kari Corbett as Staff Nurse Marian McKaig

A patient is admitted with a fever and a swollen arm covered in black lesions, but Mike is nowhere to be seen. Blood tests confirm a case of anthrax, prompting an investigation by the Public Health Officer. Elsewhere, a specialist is summoned when a woman's dizzy spells cause concern, while Alun and Lizzie are intrigued by the mysterious appearance of a young woman.

Suspicion falls on Adam over missing hospital funds and Mike attends a meeting to assess the mental welfare of a 50-year-old man (guest Andrew Dunn) who still lives with his mother. Elsewhere, Gordon's ex-father-in-law pays an unexpected visit with some sobering news and Ken has a confession to make to his colleagues.

Jill becomes unwell after earlier receiving the results of a pregnancy test. Elsewhere, when a baby goes missing, suspicion falls on the parents of a girl admitted with a broken ankle. Meanwhile, Gordon makes a discovery about a diabetic patient that explains his behaviour and, in a dramatic finale, tragedy looms over the hospital.

The train on which Marian was travelling crashes, trapping her in the wreckage. Although she cannot escape, she's free to move around the carriage to help those injured, assisted by fellow passenger Dr Nick Burnett - who turns out to be the Royal's new locum. Back at the hospital, a shortage of staff puts the casualty department under pressure when the crash victims begin to arrive.

An accident at the harbour leaves a fisherman concerned for the future of his family when Burnett is forced to amputate his hand. Weatherill treats a woman admitted with pneumonia who is deeply concerned about her father's presence around her daughter. Ken bids a final farewell to The Royal, but Lizzie's resolve flounders at the last minute.

The hospital staff are pushed to their limits when an amusement arcade collapses. In the search for survivors, a child is found with a suspected blood-clotting disorder and the team must find his mother to obtain his medical history. Stella enters the wreckage to free a girl who is trapped under a fruit machine, but when she becomes blocked in, Frankie tries to save her - and declares his feelings in the process. After another collapse both Frankie and Stella become trapped. The staff work fast to try and free them but after an explosion it is clear there is no survivors.

As the staff come to terms with the recent tragic events, new ambulance driver Bobby makes a dramatic entrance. Marian finds herself a partner for the gig by Alun's band - but the evening ends in chaos when a fire breaks out at the overcrowded club. Up on the moors, a shooting incident leaves Ormerod and Bobby in danger and the mountain rescue team is called out to an elderly lady lying wounded outside her decaying farmhouse.

Mr Middleditch makes a surprise announcement on his birthday which causes an argument between Weatherill and Ormerod, but the celebrations are interrupted when a bus full of day-trippers crashes down a nearby bank. Susie bets Lizzie she will get Carnegie to ask her out, and Jack is given a fright when a body in the mortuary springs back to life.

Sister Brigid helps secure a future for Moira and her baby, but when events take a shocking turn Weatherill and Ormerod are left to make a heartbreaking decision. Susie tries her best to be a model nurse and breaks off her relationship with Carnegie - who then proposes to her - while Bobby takes matters into his own hands with the violent stepfather of a local thug.

Dr. Ormerod and Dr. Weatherill accompany Brigid back to Ireland for Moira's funeral, and uncover shocking family secrets in the process. Meanwhile, a new locum is thrown in at the deep end at the Royal.

Mr Middleditch who has come in to St Aidan's hospital, accompanied by his wife, for a routine operation. Noticing that Mrs Middleditch (Susan Hampshire) looks unwell, the hospital decides to give her a blood transfusion. Distracted by the attentions of a rich divorced playboy, who has promised to marry her, Susie Dixon administers the wrong blood, which later results in serious consequences for both her and the patient. Dr Weatherill manages to save Mrs Middleditch’s life, although it’s touch and go for a time. Dr Ormerod is called out by the coastguard to rescue a grieving widow who has got into difficulty on her yacht. Dr Ormerod uncovers some family secrets and persuades his patient that she does have a future to look forward to. A rag-and-bone man is collecting some scrap from Jack and Alun but is trampled by his horse and admitted to the Royal for surgery. Jack and Alun are left to look after the horse, with comic consequences. Last Appearance of Sarah Beck Mather as Nurse Susie Dixon

A new student nurse arrives at the Royal. Lizzie falls for a motorcycle stunt rider who is convinced he’s destined to live fast, die young. But Dr Ormerod comes up with a different diagnosis. Faye Clarke, the new student nurse arrives. An extremely timid, jumpy young girl, it’s her first time away from home. She’s faced with a trying first day when a beautiful young model collapses after mistakingly eating the Deathcap mushroom, thinking it to be Magic mushrooms, and dies. But Matron can see she has potential. Motorcycle stunt rider, Jimmy charms Lizzie when he falls off his bike and injures his wrist. Jimmy tells Dr Ormerod he has a hereditary medical condition – polycystic kidneys. He knows he hasn’t got long on this earth so he wants to live fast, die young. But tests reveal an altogether different diagnosis. But before Dr Ormerod can give him the good news, Jimmy takes Lizzie for a ride on the Wall of Death. He crashes the bike – has he used up all his nine lives?