Ellen Zitek

Actress Georgina Bouzova was looking for casual work when producers offered her the role of Ellen. She said that it was "amazing" and that she "jumped" at the chance to take on the role. The actress was contracted with the show for four months but this was later extended because the character became popular with viewers. Producers only ever envisioned Ellen as a "stand-in character" but she became a successful character on-screen. On her first day filming Bouzova thought a woman with a bloodied face had been injured on set. When she tried to help her, she discovered that the woman was actually playing an injured character on the show. ==Development==

Characterisation and introduction Ellen is characterised as "stubborn and selfish" but has natural charm which makes other characters like her. The character was two-faced hiding a more manipulative side. The actress said that her initial reaction from fans was positive and she was worried how that response could change. Bouzova explained that "her true colours begin to emerge" the audience would dislike her. Bouzova originally feared that viewers would spit at her in the street because Ellen is such a "scheming, nasty character". Ellen is the sister of Nina Farr (Rebekah Gibbs) and arrives to work in the hospital as a nurse. Bouzova told a reporter from the Western Mail that Ellen arrives in the Holby City to stay with her sister after something happened in her home country Ukraine. Ellen and Nina have a poor relationship and on her first day Ellen behaves "outrageously flirtatious" and immediately comes between Nina's developing relationship with Abs Denham (James Redmond). The actress added "she's staying with Nina because she's family and when you're in trouble you go to family first – even though they're not the best of friends." Sham marriage In one storyline Ellen asks Abs to marry her so she can stay in the UK after her visa runs out. Discussing the development, the actress told Lucy Lawrence from the Daily Mirror that "Ellen is such a bitch – actually I'm a bit scared of what the public reaction to me will be." As Ellen gets to know Abs she realises how gullible he is and decides to scam him. Bouzova explained that "she realised he's a walkover, so she takes him for a ride. The fact that he's her stepsister, Nina Farr's boyfriend is even better." She added that Ellen always wants what Nina has and decides to steal Abs. Ellen's lies begin to unravel and Abs discovers that she has lied about her father's abuse. He realises that she only wanted a visa and has been scamming him. Ellen tries to convince Abs that she wants to make their marriage genuine because she loves him. Abs believes she is still lying and throws her out of their home. A reporter from Inside Soap revealed that Nina uses the opportunity to tell Abs she still loves him, but this does not change his mind. The looming threat of deportation makes Ellen stressed at work. When she treats a patient she makes an error which leads to her being disciplined. Cancer The show developed a cancer storyline for Ellen, a rare cancer form that develops after a molar pregnancy, which occurs after an egg is fertilised outside the uterus and the foetus grows into a tumour. Ellen tells Harry that she is pregnant but he refuses to believe her and she slaps him in the face. Bouzova told Claire Brand from Inside Soap that "the bleeding gives her a bit of a shock [...] Ellen is nervous about the scan but also excited to be seeing her baby." Abs later discovers the truth. She asks him to keep her illness a secret and he agrees. Bouzova branded the experience playing Ellen "a really great journey" and said that her character had transformed dramatically over her tenure. She told Steve Hendry from the Sunday Mail that Ellen started out as a "baddie" but through her storylines with Harry and her subsequent cancer, the audience really cared about her and the character had gained a "big fan base". When the episode aired, Ellen was killed after she was hit by a motor bike. ==Reception==

A Western Mail reporter branded Ellen a "man-eating blonde nurse". They added "while Ellen initially turns the male doctors' heads, especially unlucky-in-love American medic Jim Brodie, her ruthless, manipulative side shines through all to soon." Hoyle of the Daily Mirror branded the character a "scheming nurse" and "trouble-maker". They stated that Casualty viewers were "dabbing their eyes with sudden sympathy" over the cancer storyline. Their colleague Beth Neil also branded her a "scheming nurse". The ''Sunday Mail's Hendry called her a "mercenary Ukrainian nurse". The Daily Mirror, Birmingham Mail and Daily Record'' included Ellen's cancer storyline in their "pick of the day" features. A writer from the Wexford People branded Ellen a "scheming minx" full of "selfishness" and chose the episode which she concealed a patient's nationality in their "one to watch" feature. Television critic Jim Shelley disliked the character. He called her the "intensely irritating, slightly psychotic Ukrainian stepsister Ellen." He did not think that she was a well acted character. He scathed "with Ellen facing deportation (mostly for her [Bouzova's] appalling acting)". He later branded her "the most irritating person on television." He also opined that she was a "strange" character with an "incomprehensible, irritating accent" much like the EastEnders character Vicki Fowler (Scarlett Johnson). The following year Shelley said he was unsure how much more Ellen being on-screen viewers could cope up with. He also named her the "big wuss of the week" in his television column. The story involving Ellen and Abs was not well received by the ''Daily Mirror's Polly Hudson. She ranted "Casualty The Abs/Ellen/Nina triangle is ludicrous – and now dull, too." Tom Adair of The Scotsman'' branded Ellen a "winsome" character and opined that Abs marrying her for a visa "limp" story telling. Adair thought the character was a liar. He stated "maybe the baby is a figment of Ellen's "rich fantasy life". A rich fantasy life is something boring, anaesthetised old Casualty could be doing with." ==References==