Casualty Casualty's Charlotte on Sam & Dylan's strange love

Charlotte Salt sheds light on Sam and Dylan's unusual relationship in Casualty (BBC1, Saturday)...

When we last saw Sam, before Christmas, she had revealed to the team she was married to Dylan. Where does that pick up this week?
"When we first see them, Dylan is really embarrassed that Sam's told everyone they're married - and she’s enjoying watching him squirm! They're just about to talk openly when everything kicks off and there are explosions left, right and centre."

There's a double disaster in this week's episode with a dual carriageway pile up and a gas explosion - how does Sam respond to these emergencies?
"Sam gets stuck into the thick of it and really puts herself in danger - in a way that could be fatal. In a way she does it to spite Dylan, to show him what he could lose and also to get his attention. This episode is action-packed. There's never a dull moment."

Can you explain a bit more about Dylan and Sam's unusual relationship?
"They're married, but they've been separated for over a year. You have to question why they haven't filed for divorce yet. In some ways Dylan and Sam are very similar - they both can't face their own fears - but they can face everyone else's for them!"

Do you have a back-story explaining how they got together?
"I have my own back-story. The idea is they fell for each other at college where Dylan was her mentor and they were both impressed by each other."

So where did it all go wrong?
"She had an affair while she was in the army. It seems that life pulled them apart - she was in the army and he worked in a hospital, they are two very different worlds."

Does she still love him?
"I think so. But whether it's in that friendly way or something more, remains to be seen..."