Holby City to end after 23 years: BBC make ‘difficult decision’ to conclude Casualty spin-off

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Holby City will conclude in 2022 after 23 years on the air, the BBC announced on Wednesday.

Branding it a ‘difficult decision’, the network have slated the medical drama to come to a conclusion on screen in March next year.

The BBC said in a statement: ‘We are incredibly proud of Holby City.

© Provided by Daily Mail End of the road: Holby City will conclude in 2022 after 23 years on the air, the BBC announced on Wednesday

‘But it’s with great sadness that we are announcing that after 23 years, the show will end on screen in March of next year.

‘We sometimes have to make difficult decisions to make room for new opportunities and as part of the BBC’s commitment to make more programmes across the UK.

‘We have taken the difficult decision to bring the show to a close in order to reshape the BBC’s drama slate to better reflect, represent and serve all parts of the country.

‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank the amazing team at BBC Studios and all the cast and crew who have been involved in the show since 1999.

It’s been cut! The BBC insisted they will make sure the programme goes out ‘on a high’ [pictured Ramin Karimloo as Dr Kian Madani]

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‘Holby has been a stalwart with audiences, delighting millions of viewers each week and winning hundreds of awards with a compelling mix of cutting-edge medical stories and explosive personal stories.’

The BBC insisted they will make sure the programme goes out ‘on a high’.

They added: ‘We look forward to working with the team over the coming months to ensure that when it ends, Holby goes out on a high.’

© Provided by Daily Mail The BBC said in a statement: ‘We are incredibly proud of Holby City’ [pictured are stars Jules Knight and Joe McFadden]

Holby City has been nominated for over 100 awards, of which it has won six. The series has received five BAFTA nominations, winning on one of these occasions. 

The show – which airs weekly on BBC One – launched on January 12, 1999, as a spin-off from fellow BBC medical drama Casualty, which began in September 1986. 

Casualty remains on the air. It is the longest-running medical drama series in the world.

Holby City exists in the same canon as Casualty, with the two series crossing over on occasion.

Cast: The show featured big names in British TV, such as Angela Griffin

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It was developed initially as lead writer Mal Young wanted to explore what happened to patients treated in Casualty once they were taken away to the hospital’s surgical wards.

The BBC previously screened mini-dramas entitled Casualty@Holby City, which saw various characters from the two shows interacting.

In 2006, the BBC commissioned Holby Blue, a police spin-off. There was a two-part crossover episode with Holby City in 2008.

But despite a promising initial viewership, Holby Blue only lasted two series and was axed.  

© Provided by Daily Mail Crossover: Holby City exists in the same canon as Casualty, with the two series crossing over on occasion Read more