Josh Griffiths

Josh Griffiths
Biographical information
Full name	Joshua Griffiths
Familial information
Spouse	Helen Griffiths † (wife) Collette Kierney (ex-wife)
Children	Ashley Griffiths † Sarah Griffiths †
Professional information
Occupation	Paramedic (1986-89) Senior paramedic (1989-2007) Operational Duty Manager (2003-07) Ambulance Control (2007-)
Appearance information
First appearance	"Chain Reaction" 8 September 1989
Last appearance	Episode 1054 30 September 2017
Portrayed by	Ian Bleasdale
Casualty appearances
4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • 18 • 19 • 20 • 21 • 22 • 31 • 32

Joshua "Josh" Griffiths is an Ambulance Controller who worked for the Holby Ambulance Service from 1989 to 2007. He first started working as a paramedic in 1986.

He joined the service in 1989. He was married to Helen Griffiths with two children, Ashley and Sarah. In 1997, he was distraught when they died in a house fire whilst he was at work. Despite this, he remarried years later to Colette Kierney although they eventually separated and she filed for divorce.

In 2003, Josh took on the role of Operational Duty Manager following Jeff McGuire's death. This was a position he held until his departure in 2007 when he left for India with Devika, a woman he had met on his travels.

Time with the Ambulance Service (1989-2007)

Dependable Josh was the kind of paramedic everyone would love to have care for them in an emergency. He was highly trained and intelligent, and his quick thinking and bravery helped save countless lives over the years. Josh was also funny, good humoured and sensitive. However, after enduring more than his fair share of trauma in his personal life, he also felt things deeply, even if it didn't always show.

He was devoted to his wife, Helen, and his daughter and son but their lives were cut short in a house fire. Josh was on duty that day, and was called to the scene to assist. His daughter was the only member of the family to escape from the fire. Josh returned to work within two weeks of the tragedy, but later developed a gambling and drinking addiction which he took two years to overcome.

After this Josh struggled to find love. He married Colette but his marriage collapsed after discovering she was pregnant with a child that had been conceived during an illicit affair.

After being stabbed by a mentally ill patient, Josh became depressed and unable to see a future for himself. After a heart-to-heart with best friend Charlie, Josh realised there was so much he wanted to see outside of Holby, and left the ED to see cricket and culture around the world. Josh did return to the ED but once again departed - this time for India to be with Devika, a woman he had met on his travels.

Later life

Josh in the pub whilst Louise, Noel and Max were preparing the party.

In August 2016 on the day of Charlie's 30th-anniversary celebrations, Charlie discovered Josh hiding in one of the ED's cubicles, tipping him off to the fact that his colleagues had something planned. The two old friends reminisced for a while, until Charlie's attention was taken by an incoming patient who was demanding to be allowed to go home.

Josh later went to the pub for Charlie's party. He remained there when Charlie and the rest of the staff return to the ED, but he and Duffy both left the pub to assist in the aftermath of the air ambulance crash. Josh immediately helped Iain, who was a passenger in the helicopter, before advising Dylan on how to free Grace from the restraints keeping her trapped in the crashed helicopter.

Josh, along with Duffy, backed Charlie up against Jacob, who was determined to find Steph Sims and make her pay for the injuries caused to Connie and Grace. At the end of the shift, once all the patients had left the department, Josh stayed for the rest of the party, relocated to the ED's staff room, quipping that he "only came for the cake". (CAS: "Too Old for This Shift")

Josh at Charlie's wedding in January 2017.

Josh attended Charlie's stag night in February 2017. However, they woke up the next morning unable to find Charlie. Josh helped to look for him, but it eventually transpired that he'd been arrested the night before for resisting arrest. Dylan drove them all back to Holby where Josh watched Charlie and Duffy get married. (CAS: "The Stag, the Dog and the Sheep")

In September 2017, Josh was asked by Connie to keep Iain and Sam in the ED after their patient was brought in with an arterial clamp. Throughout the day, he and Charlie played practical jokes on each other and they later decided to go to the pub at the end of their shifts. (CAS: Episode 1053) Later that month, after another night-out together, they were both preparing for another drinking session that night but, to their relief, Duffy intervened. (CAS: Episode 1054)

Behind the scenes

Ian Bleasdale portrayed Josh Griffiths on Casualty from 1989 to 2007, and is one of the show's longest serving characters. Since his departure in the show's 22nd series, he has guest appeared in three episodes of series 31 and two episodes of series 32. In his first episode "Chain Reaction" Josh can be seen first in the background briefly, having an inaudible conversation. He has a few lines of dialogue later in the episode when he is one of the paramedics attending the scene of a multi-vehicle crash.