Tidings of Comfort and Joy

"Tidings of Comfort and Joy" is the 702nd episode of Casualty and the 17th episode of the 24th series. It was preceded by "All I Want for Christmas" and followed by "A Day in a Life". The episode was directed by Alan Grint and written by Sasha Hails, and is the only Noel centric episode to date.

Synopsis
It's Christmas party fever in the ED on Boxing Day with Noel heading to his father's OAP home celebration and the Dean's annual bash for the staff to look forward to.

After a tough night in the ED, Zoe offers Noel a lift to his father's party, but Noel is devastated when his father, David, doesn't recognise him. He's further worried when his father and several other residents seem obviously ill. Desperate, he begs Zoe to help his father.

The F2s are on their way to help Noel's Charity Christmas visit but are suddenly called into action when they come across a severe car crash. Working together, they manage to stabilise their patients and get them to the ED, where they are hailed as heroes by Adam in front of their colleagues and superiors at the Dean's Christmas party later that evening. Proudly the Dean, Eddie, boasts to Henry that May is his daughter but, too late, May tells him she wants to make it on her own. Henry blurts the news to the other F2s and Lenny, disgusted at her lies and Yuki, disappointed at her cover up, leave her alone.

Meanwhile, as Adam and Jessica's wedding day approaches Adam completely loses his cool with a member of staff as the pressure builds at work and home, and Ruth and Jay are thrown together to work on a medical case. Ruth finally admits that she's lonely after another family disaster and letting her guard down, she accepts Jay's comfort and the pair head home together.