Series 15 Episode 23:
BIG MISTAKE
Written by Patrick Melanphy

Josh and Penny get a call-out to the top of a block of flats. There they find Michael Croft, who has fallen a couple of storeys, and his brother Grieg, who is standing on the roof above them. Grieg says that if Michael dies, he'll jump himself. He tells them that he and his brother had been having an argument, because Michael had been having an affair with his wife; it turned into a fight and he pushed Michael off the roof. He also tells them that he's been in prison for fraud, and that if Michael dies he'll go to prison again, so he has nothing to live for. He won't let Josh and Penny move Michael to the ambulance, so they have to do their best to save his life with the equipment they've got there. They can't do enough, and Michael dies, but Josh and Penny have to pretend he's still alive. Josh gets up and starts talking to Grieg, telling him he knows what it's like to lose everything, as he lost his wife and kids all at once. Penny distracts Grieg's attention by pretending his heart has stopped and shocking him, and Josh runs up the stairs and grabs Grieg from behind, managing to pull him away from the edge. Grieg injured his head in the fight, so they take both him and Michael to Holby A&E. On the way, Josh tells Grieg that Michael is dead. Grieg's wife turns up at Holby A&E to see him. She tells him that she only slept with Michael because he was a comfort when Grieg was in prison; it didn't mean anything to her but Michael thought it meant more - he told Grieg that they were in love. She says Michael had deluded himself into thinking they had a future together, but he was wrong. Grieg had believed she wanted to be with him. The police arrive and arrest Grieg for manslaughter. Josh tells Colette that today he failed to save a man who could have lived, and saved a man who didn't want to live. He wonders whether he did the right thing. Colette tells him he did his best, and not to feel guilty.
Charlie goes to see Fiona Litton, a solicitor, about getting custody of Louis. He says that Baz isn't a bad mother, but that he can give Louis everything she can. She tells him it could be a long and difficult process but Charlie is insistent of going ahead. She also says that it could cost up to £15,000, and he'll need to pay £5000 straight away, but Charlie says his son is worth more than that to him. He goes to work and Duffy comes into his office to ask how it went. Charlie tells her that they'll have a first hearing in a couple of weeks. Duffy is surprised that the solicitor's going ahead, saying that usually the court favours the mother. Charlie just says that it wouldn't be the first time the father has won custody. Duffy seems about to suggest maybe it's not worth it, but Charlie interrupts her, saying he's got a lot of work to do. Later Duffy asks him again and Charlie confesses how much it will cost, saying he'll get the money by selling the house. Duffy asks if he's sure he's doing the right thing - she says she doesn't like to think of him getting in debt on top of everything else. Charlie asks how much her sons Peter and Jake and the baby mean to her - more than fifteen thousand pounds, he reckons. He says it's his only chance.
Patrick is complaining to Andrew about a medical student who will be coming in to shadow him for the day. He asks Andrew if he'll do it instead, but Andrew says that Patrick needs to improve his social skills. When the student, Maria, arrives, Patrick is smitten. Holly, seeing his reaction, asks if he's going to give her the champagne treatment as well. Patrick tells her it wasn't he who gave her the champagne. Spencer sees that Holly is upset by Patrick's behaviour towards Maria. He speaks to Patrick, reminding him of the way he talked about her on the boat, but Patrick says he's taking things too seriously and says they're not at an AA meeting now.
Pete Binnington is trying to persuade John Williams, an old mate, to give his company a contract for a job. He takes John and Mark, who works with John, to lunch at a Japanese restaurant and tries to impress them by serving them puffer fish, which can be deadly if not prepared exactly right. John is soon talked into eating it, but Mark is not so easily persuaded. Pete asks him if he wants to be able to say, "Puffer fish? Yeah, I've had that," or whether he'd rather say he turned down his chance to eat it. Mark agrees to try it. Pete takes a mouthful, followed by John. Mark starts to chicken out and has to be persuaded again, but just as he is about to put a piece in his mouth, John stops him, saying his mouth is tingling. He and Pete become ill and they are taken to Holby A&E. In resusc, Maria is able to help as she is knowledgeable about the puffer fish, having done her elective in Australia. She also mentions in front of Mark that the fatality rate is 60%. Maria reaches out to adjust an oxygen mask but Holly snaps at her, telling her that her role is purely as an observer. Maria later apologises for interfering; Holly says it's OK. Maria realises that her objections are something to do with Patrick, and tells Holly she didn't mean to tread on her toes. Holly is offended and denies this.
As John and Pete are recovering, Mark waits in reception, where the Japanese chef from the restaurant turns up. Mark tells him that they're dying, then tells him that actually they're going to be OK, but they could have died after eating the fish he prepared. Later Mark goes to see John and Pete and tells them that the chef didn't actually prepare the fish himself; his cousin brought it back from Japan ready-prepared and he simply laid it out on a plate. The fish that he charged Pete a fortune for actually cost very little. John says he hopes he can make as much money out of Pete as the chef did - he's giving him the contract; it was always going to be his but he wanted to make him sweat a bit first.
Another mystery present arrives at reception for Holly - a teddy bear. Holly says it's getting a bit weird now. Patrick, after cancelling his game of squash with Dan, asks Maria out. She turns him down, saying he's not her type. When he asks why not, she tells him she's gay. Spencer, Barney and Holly all watch as she leaves. He tells them she's not his type, and casually asks Holly out. She turns him down. At the end of the shift, Tom comes to the staff room looking for Holly. Barney tells him she's gone to the pub with Dan - Dan asked her so they could talk about work. Patrick tells Tom he's going to the pub with him. Holly walks out to her car, and finds the teddy that she threw away tucked under the windscreen wiper.


Episode first broadcast Saturday 3rd February 2001

Additional Cast
Gavin Michael Cole
Maria Rae Osborne
Grieg Croft Robin Soans
Lynne Croft Tessa Wyatt
Michael Croft Anthony Allen
Bob Wantanabe Eija Kusuhara
Pete Binnington          Jamie Glover
Mr Borowski Malcolm Peake
Fiona Litton Jacqueline King
John Williams Derren Litten
Mark Shaw Christian Durham

Pictures provided by Chris Leader

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