 Tom Chambers was approached about assuming the role of Sam by BBC casting director Julie Harkin, who was also responsible for casting fellow Holby City newcomers Rakie Ayola as Kyla Tyson and Luke Roberts as Joseph Byrne. Chambers has revealed that he sent a video of himself performing a Fred Astaire tap dance routine to over 800 stage and television directors and producers in the UK, explaining: "Julie Harkin in casting at Holby saw it and gave me a call because they thought it was unusual. Originally I went up for a small role as an American doctor, but after the audition they said come back next week to audition for a bigger part and that was it!" Upon assuming the role of Sam, Chambers revealed that he had once been an avid viewer of Holby City's sister show, Casualty, recalling watching it as far back as 1991.
