The BBC is bringing down the surgical curtain on one of the longest running shows on TV, and the jumping off point for a whole host of A-list celebrities.
OK, so you might associate Doctors with daytime TV watching when you’re supposed to be at school, but it has been a valuable proving ground for writers, actors, and filmmakers alike for years.
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23 years, to be precise.
Now though, it’s all set to come to a close, and the BBC has revealed why.
According to the broadcaster, the show has been a victim of ‘super inflation in drama production’ and therefore it’s time to get things wrapped up for good.
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Don’t worry though, things aren’t just going to grind to an abrupt halt straight away.
If you’re an ardent Doctors fan, you’ll have until December 2024 before. The final episode airs, and the BBC said that it will be ‘working closely with BBC Studios to give it the finale it deserves’.
They also thanked all of the cast and crew that have worked on the show over the past two decades and more, during which time the show has won 17 Baftas.
The soap, set in the fictional Midlands town of Letherbridge, has been the place where many celebrities who are now household names have cut their teeth.
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Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke got her first television credit on the show, going on to become a sought-after Hollywood actor.
As did Eddie Redmayne, who also served his time in Letherbridge.
Fleabag creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who has gone on to great success in both writing and acting, did her time on the show as well, starring in an episode back in 2009.
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Hell, even Brian Blessed was in the show, not that he needed any leg-up into his career at that point.
Who cares though? Seeing Brian Blessed in something is always a welcome sight.
As well as those, Nicholas Hoult, Sheridan Smith, and soap superstar Lisa Riley have all appeared in Doctors.
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So, keep an eye on the cast at the moment, because there’s a good chance they are destined for big things.
The Writers’ Guild has called the decision to axe the show ‘a terrible loss to the UK writing community, and to audiences’.
The organisation added that it is essential that the UK ‘continues to provide distinctive content and opportunities for our writers’.
The cancellation of Doctors comes just 18 months after fellow BBC medical drama Holby City was shut down.
The loss of those two shows ‘leaves a big hole in the drama slate’, the guild said.
Despite the ‘tough choices’ made to ‘deliver greater value to audiences’ the BBC said it remains 'fully committed’ to producing TV in the West Midlands.
Topics: BBC, TV and Film, Celebrity
Tom Wood