Holby City to end in 2022

[Carrie Fairchild]

The BBC have just announced that they're pulling the plug on medical soap Holby City, after 23 years on air. The axing is part of their plan to "make room for new opportunities and as part of the BBC's commitment to make more programmes across the UK". Given that they've two medical serial dramas set in the same universe on their schedules, I can see how Holby City could be seen as surplus to requirements. I wonder is this to make way for the new Northern "soap" / serial drama that was being discussed earlier in the year?

Holby City

www.bbc.com

 

[Angela Channing]

This is sad news. I've not watched it for a number of years now but at one point it was a compelling drama that I used to watch weekly.

It's strange that they are ending production on a TV series that is successful, still achieves good audience figures and has a good fan base. The show often reflects issues like poor funding, overstretched staff and lack of resources so it's easy to believe that the Tory biased BBC took the decision so viewers wouldn't see that state that the Tories have left the NHS in due to them defunding the service.

 

[Emelee]

Too bad, I like it. I don't watch it anymore tough as it's no longer on Swedish telly.

 

[Barbara Fan]

I must be the only person in UL who has never watched

Casualty Ever or Holby City ever!

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

A bit of an overview from The Guardian as to why the show got the chop.

In retrospect, the first symptom that Holby City (created by Tony McHale and Mal Young) would only just make its 23rd birthday next January came on 18 March this year, when BBC director general Tim Davie announced a “UK-wide” policy, increasing spending and representation outside London. These plans included “two new soap-style network drama series – one from the north of England and another from one of the nations – produced over the next three years”.

The regional identity of the BBC’s medical shows is complex. Both Holby City and Casualty, sibling shows with some shared characters, are set around south-west England in the fictional county of Wyvern, although Holby City is filmed at the BBC studios in Elstree, and Casualty in Cardiff (having moved there from Bristol).

In production terms, then, Holby counts as a London show, and became vulnerable to the spread of what the corporation calls “drama spend”. Doctors, filmed in Birmingham, and Casualty, made in Wales, were less at risk from the attempt to reduce London-centricity. The money saved from closing Holby City General Hospital will be invested in the new series. And the new soaps will have to wear their locations on screen – if made in Scotland or Northern Ireland, they must be set there; licence payers will see where the money is being spent.

Nothing can save you now! The death of Holby City is a huge loss to the BBC

The long-running hospital soap is flatlining at last, never to be resuscitated. Let’s hope the final episodes are a tantalising finger up to the establishment

www.theguardian.com

 

[Justine]

This is definitely sad news! I remember my dad watched this religiously - and by default I would too, though I haven't watched in a few years either except for the crossover episodes with Casualty. Connie Beauchamp remains one of my favourite ever characters from the show and is the reason I started to watch Casualty.

 

[9unfold]

I watched Holby City for a few years around 2006/7.

Can't recall why I lost interest or if something else came along that I began to follow. But still I wish the cast and crew a prosperous future.

 

[Angela Channing]

A bit of an overview from The Guardian as to why the show got the chop.

In retrospect, the first symptom that Holby City (created by Tony McHale and Mal Young) would only just make its 23rd birthday next January came on 18 March this year, when BBC director general Tim Davie announced a “UK-wide” policy, increasing spending and representation outside London. These plans included “two new soap-style network drama series – one from the north of England and another from one of the nations – produced over the next three years”.

The regional identity of the BBC’s medical shows is complex. Both Holby City and Casualty, sibling shows with some shared characters, are set around south-west England in the fictional county of Wyvern, although Holby City is filmed at the BBC studios in Elstree, and Casualty in Cardiff (having moved there from Bristol).

In production terms, then, Holby counts as a London show, and became vulnerable to the spread of what the corporation calls “drama spend”. Doctors, filmed in Birmingham, and Casualty, made in Wales, were less at risk from the attempt to reduce London-centricity. The money saved from closing Holby City General Hospital will be invested in the new series. And the new soaps will have to wear their locations on screen – if made in Scotland or Northern Ireland, they must be set there; licence payers will see where the money is being spent.

Nothing can save you now! The death of Holby City is a huge loss to the BBC

The long-running hospital soap is flatlining at last, never to be resuscitated. Let’s hope the final episodes are a tantalising finger up to the establishment

www.theguardian.com

An interesting analysis however, I will challenge a few of the points made by The Guardian. I agree that the reason given by the BBC is to be less London centric but I don't believe it. Holby is set in a fictional county called Wyvern in South West England and it is filmed in Elstree Studios which is in Hertfordshire not London. If Hertfordshire is not far enough away from London, they could have moved production to another location like they did with Waterloo Road which moved its production from Rochdale to Scotland half way through its run.

I still maintain the real reason it was cancelled was political. To please the Tory government, the BBC didn't want to screen a weekly show reflected the reality of the NHS under our far right government which includes the underfunding of the NHS, staff shortages, stressed and overworked staff, lack of adequate equipment and decisions being made for financial reasons rather than medical ones.

 

[Sarah]

I stopped watching when heartthrob Mark Moraghan left, but it is a good show. No doubt getting rid to make room for more reality crap.

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

This is sad news. I've not watched it for a number of years now but at one point it was a compelling drama that I used to watch weekly.

It's strange that they are ending production on a TV series that is successful, still achieves good audience figures and has a good fan base. The show often reflects issues like poor funding, overstretched staff and lack of resources so it's easy to believe that the Tory biased BBC took the decision so viewers wouldn't see that state that the Tories have left the NHS in due to them defunding the service.

Well, they ended up cancelling The Brothers, when that was very successful. They assigned the budget elsewhere. And kept quiet.

Former cast member Hugh Quarshie (Ric Griffin from 2001-20) said that he understands that the cast and the production team were notified only an hour before the news announcement.

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

I must be the only person in UL who has never watched

Casualty Ever or Holby City ever!

You didn’t say anything about Casualty@Holby City.

Casualty@Holby City - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

The BBC have just announced that they're pulling the plug on medical soap Holby City, after 23 years on air. The axing is part of their plan to "make room for new opportunities and as part of the BBC's commitment to make more programmes across the UK". Given that they've two medical serial dramas set in the same universe on their schedules, I can see how Holby City could be seen as surplus to requirements. I wonder is this to make way for the new Northern "soap" / serial drama that was being discussed earlier in the year?

Although, they are rather different shows. Casualty is set around the ED and features bigger stunts. Holby City is set upstairs around the wards and is more concerned with the running of the hosputs. I kind of like when characters go up or down the lift or stairs from one show appear on the other though. Especially as they have had to travel well over 100 miles, check into a hotel, to get to the set of the other show.

Some people are upset for Davood Ghadami, who has been working on Holby City for a couple of months, after being finished on EastEnders. Especially as his fictional late EastEnders brother is now working at Holby City Hospital on Casualty, but has done two episodes of Holby City too. And they wanted a reunion. Like when former EastEnders cast members Michael French and Paul Bradley spent time together on Holby City in 2006 and 2010.

I think my favourite Holby City character was Anton Meyer, who appeared in the first four series of Holby City, plus one crossover appearance on Casualty. Who was rather compelling and mysterious, with very little revealed about his character’s life in his four series, the first two of which featured Michael French as Nick Jordan. Ah! Nick Jordan from Casualty, Holby City, Casualty@Holby City (Holby City, Casualty), Holby City, Casualty and Holby City.

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

I have noticed that some articles illustrating Holby City’s end have actually featured inaccurate pictures from Casualty instead. Including a Holby City captioned photo of Derek Thompson (four appearances on Holby City) with Kate Winslet. Which was actually from a 1993 episode of Casualty, six years before Holby City began.

 

[Pamela_E]

Why don't the BBC merge their three long running shows into one. Holbyenders.

The first episode Sharon is rushed to Holby Walford General where she meets Kush's identical twin. She uncovers a mystery of many identical twins such as David Wicks.

Denise vists and bumps in her daughter Libby who isn't Libby but another twin.

Anthony Hopkins guest stars as the creator as Sharon discovers Eastworld, a strange hospital filled with life like robots of everyone she has met.

The show will run for 120 years with 7 viewers.

 

[Sarah]

Why don't the BBC merge their three long running shows into one. Holbyenders.

The first episode Sharon is rushed to Holby Walford General where she meets Kush's identical twin. She uncovers a mystery of many identical twins such as David Wicks.

Denise vists and bumps in her daughter Libby who isn't Libby but another twin.

Anthony Hopkins guest stars as the creator as Sharon discovers Eastworld, a strange hospital filled with life like robots of everyone she has met.

The show will run for 120 years with 7 viewers.

As long as Sharon is still 'orange' right Pam?

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

This is definitely sad news! I remember my dad watched this religiously - and by default I would too, though I haven't watched in a few years either except for the crossover episodes with Casualty. Connie Beauchamp remains one of my favourite ever characters from the show and is the reason I started to watch Casualty.

Well, in episodes filmed before production was suspended due to Covid, there were occasionally instances of characters on one show appearing on the other, which since 2010/11 had been happening far more frequently. Henrik Hanssen from Holby City has made at least 14 crossover episodes of Casualty. David Hide (Jason Durr) from Casualty was in a couple of Holby City episodes last year. And one of the Casualty regulars, Marty Kirkby, was cousin to one of the most recently deceased Holby City regular character, which allowed more crossover. And former CEO Max McGerry from Holby City was in a Casualty episode not too long ago, where Connie and Jacob had sex in the Emergency Department, where any passing person could have seen them. And Ethan from Casualty has been in episodes of Holby City. And Holby City sometimes refers to events on Casualty, like Duffy’s death. When Oliver Kent was in charge of both shows, he committed to more crossovers between the two shows. So in Holby City, you could see Sacha walking in to work with Dylan from Casualty, which was nice, considering the well over 100 mile plus distance between the two filming locations. There had been more crossovers in the early years too. The first two episodes of Holby City had crossover appearances by Derek Thompson (who as Charlie Fairhead has been in four Holby City episodes) and Jan Anderson (who did four Holby City episodes). Mubbs (played by Ian Aspinall, who had previously bumped off Brian Tilsley on Coronation Street) from Holby City did some Casualty appearances. The enigmatic Anton Meyer (George Irving) from Holby City came down in the lift to talk to Harry Harper (Simon MacCorkindale). And there was a relationship between a Casualty nurse and a Holby City nurse, which meant that both actors kept crossing over to the other show in a storyline that culminated in carnage, multiple deaths and Will Mellor fatally exploding.

 

[AndyB2008]

Why don't the BBC merge their three long running shows into one. Holbyenders.

The first episode Sharon is rushed to Holby Walford General where she meets Kush's identical twin. She uncovers a mystery of many identical twins such as David Wicks.

Denise vists and bumps in her daughter Libby who isn't Libby but another twin.

Anthony Hopkins guest stars as the creator as Sharon discovers Eastworld, a strange hospital filled with life like robots of everyone she has met.

The show will run for 120 years with 7 viewers.

Add BBC Breakfast (which isn't filmed at Elstree) and you would have HolbyEnders Breakfast.

The main presenters (mainly the Monday to Wednesday ones) would have a Chances-style contract where they have to strip.

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

Why don't the BBC merge their three long running shows into one. Holbyenders.

The first episode Sharon is rushed to Holby Walford General where she meets Kush's identical twin. She uncovers a mystery of many identical twins such as David Wicks.

Denise vists and bumps in her daughter Libby who isn't Libby but another twin.

Anthony Hopkins guest stars as the creator as Sharon discovers Eastworld, a strange hospital filled with life like robots of everyone she has met.

The show will run for 120 years with 7 viewers.

Kush’s equally deceased brother appears to work in Holby’s Emergency Department. There used to be a double of Lucas Johnson working at Holby City Hospital. Gillian Taylforth had a multi-episode guest stint in Casualty. And patients have included people who look like Carol Jackson, members of the Ferreira family and Arthur Fowler. Security guard Arthur was inadvertently killed when he was accidentally hit during a robbery by a van driven by his villainous son, who was the later electrocuted-in-a-swimming-pool Dirk Savage from Hollyoaks .

When Michael French was in Casualty, he ended up sharing scenes with Michelle Collins (Cindy Beale) again. She was in a few episodes.

Redirect Notice

 

[Pamela_E]

Kush’s equally deceased brother appears to work in Holby’s Emergency Department. There used to be a double of Lucas Johnson working at Holby City Hospital. Gillian Taylforth had a multi-episode guest stint in Casualty. And patients have included people who look like Carol Jackson, members of the Ferreira family and Arthur Fowler. Security guard Arthur was inadvertently killed when he was accidentally hit during a robbery by a van driven by his villainous son, who was the later electrocuted-in-a-swimming-pool Dirk Savage from Hollyoaks .

When Michael French was in Casualty, he ended up sharing scenes with Michelle Collins (Cindy Beale) again. She was in a few episodes.

Redirect Notice

When Eastenders had pulling power that casting was all deliberate to pull in fans to watch.

I do wonder if we are seeing the slow death of long running shows. I have not watched Holby for a decade now. I think the last time I saw it Patsy Kensit was in it.

 

[J. R.'s Piece]

When Eastenders had pulling power that casting was all deliberate to pull in fans to watch.

I do wonder if we are seeing the slow death of long running shows. I have not watched Holby for a decade now. I think the last time I saw it Patsy Kensit was in it.

Patsy Kensit returned once, in 2019.
Marc Elliott, who played Syed Masood in EastEnders played the abusive Isaac in Holby City and he returned that year too.

They did cast some familiar names/familiar faces from other shows. Angela Griffin and Tina Hobley had been in Coronation Street. Belinda Owusu was Libby Fox on EastEnders before she did Holby City. Kaye Wragg had been in The Bill. Art Malik played Zubin. Robert Powell and Sharon Maughan were regulars. Robert Powell got to be CEO.

Bryan Murray played surgeon James Roberts in some Casualty episodes, beginning with the Casualty episode that first introduced Michael French as Nick Jordan, in preparation for the beginning of Holby City. Then Bryan Murray appeared as Roberts in more Casualty episodes and the same character in early episodes of Holby City. Paul Shane was in it for a while. And then came back for a one-off and his character died. Jeremy Edwards had been an original cast member on Hollyoaks, then returned to Hollyoaks last year, alive and well, two decades after his character had died in a jet-ski accident. Patsy Kensit’s character’s mother was played by Deborah Grant and her in-laws were played by Ronald Pickup and Jane Asher. Susannah York was in several episodes in two series as trust executive executive Helen Grant and also did a couple of episodes of Casualty. Leslie Phillips appeared as Tom Campbell-Gore’s father. Ade Edmondson was in a few series as Abra Durant. Patricia Potter had been in Brookside and she reappeared in Holby City in 2019, despite her character having been dead for 13 years. Martin Hancock, who had played Spider Nugent in Coronation Street, did some episodes. John Michie was well known from Taggart and Coronation Street, before joining Holby City as neurosurgeon and former CEO, Guy Self, and has made several crossover appearances on Casualty. Stella Gonet played CEO too (and guested in Casualty).

Judy Loe (who was in Ace of Wands!) played CEO Jan Goddard on Casualty. Jan quickly got into and a sexual relationship with Charlie Fairhead and promoted him, until Charlie dumped her, after she backstabbed and sacrificed his friend and colleague to the press and replaced him with Simon MacCorkindale. After which Jan never ever came downstairs again and stayed upstairs on Holby City, where she slept with Tom Campbell-Gore (Denis Lawson… who returned for three episodes in 2019, one of which featured Lorraine Chase) and she promoted Tom, after which he dumped her.

Alex Walkinshaw had been in The Bill, before he joined Casualty. But he wanted to spend more time with his family. So he went upstairs to Holby City instead, which reunited him with Rosie Marcel, whose guest character on The Bill had slept with his character. So Holby City sneaked in a reference to it. Joseph Millson had been a regular on The Sarah Jane Adventures, including a prominent part in the episode (with Jane Asher) that got CBBC it’s highest ever ratings.

And Casualty’s Maxwell Caulfield (that name rings a bell) popped over to Holby City and immediately died a horrible death there.

Phyllis Logan, Jemma Redgrave, Paul McGann were in it. Current cast includes Jo Martin and Debra Stephenson.


And both incarnations of Connie Beauchamp’s father, actors Donald Sumpter and Ken Bones, appeared together as Time Lords in Doctor Who.