When does Holby City finish? has been the question on fans lips ever since BBC confirmed that the hospital drama will come to an end after 23 seasons on air and now the date of the final episode has been set.
It was announced back in September last year that the long-standing BBC One programme would face the axe and cease production sometime in 2022.
The news came as a shock to some TV licence payers, as many are surprised to see the long-standing drama, which continued filming through lockdown measures, come to an end, but even a petition set up begging for a U-turn on the decision, failed to make a difference despite obtaining more than 43,000 signatures.
If you’re looking for a hospital-based drama Call the Midwife might be one for you as when and why Holby is set to go…
When does Holby City finish?
Holby City is expected to finish on 29th March 2022. The show wrapped up filming on 17th December and episodes will continue to be aired on BBC One every Tuesday until the final episode airs.
Speaking at the time of the first announcement, the BBC said “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. We look forward to working with the team over the coming months to ensure that when it ends, Holby goes out on a high.”
We’re very sorry to bring you the sad news that Holby City will come to an end in March next year, after 23 amazing years. We are so very grateful to all of Holby’s wonderful cast, crew, writers, producers – and to our millions of loyal viewers and fans for being part of our show
— BBC Holby City (@BBCHolbyCity) June 2, 2021
And the current episodes being aired are gripping the nation but fans are unhappy at the loss. One unhappy fan tweeted, ‘Still can’t understand Holby City being cancelled. It makes 0 sense.’
And their heartbreak extends to the characters on-screen with many feeling emotional for consultant Henrik Hanssen – recently, fans on Twitter have been rooting for Henrik Hanssen (Guy Henry) and Russell “Russ” Faber (Simon Slater) as recent scenes had them becoming obsessed with their budding romance.
But as some of their final scenes played out, fans begged for a happy ending. One fan wrote, “Oh no, My heart broke for Henrik. Please don’t end them like this”
Oh! That's me gone 😭 #Henrus #HolbyCity HR pic.twitter.com/2o1xVuhQcR
— BBC Holby City (@BBCHolbyCity) March 15, 2022
Why has Holby City been cancelled?
Holby City has been cancelled in order “to reshape the BBC’s drama slate to better reflect, represent and serve all parts of the country”, according to an official statement released by the BBC last year.
The statement reads, ‘We are incredibly proud of Holby City 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.’
Where is Holby City filmed?
Holby City is filmed in Borehamwood at the Elstree Studios. Located just north of London, the set includes a surgical ward and operating theatre. But over the years, there have been some Holby City episodes shot abroad on location.
As a spin-off show to Casualty, medical researchers are employed by the drama to verify script accuracy to make the show more realistic.
The first series of Holby City averaged 9.27 million viewers and an episode is estimated to cost in the region £370,000 to produce. One episode runs each week over the course of a year.
Ms McGerry is here for preventative surgery after testing positive for the BRCA1 gene mutation. It's a big decision to make… 💙 #HolbyCity HR pic.twitter.com/gfLQ9ojNbb
— BBC Holby City (@BBCHolbyCity) June 1, 2021
The drama follows the everyday lives, professional and personal, of the doctors, nurses and patients who find themselves, for various reasons, in the wards of the frenetic cardiac unit of Holby City General Hospital.
The unit is run by the autocratic Consultant Surgeon Anton Meyer (played by George Irving) assisted by arrogant sidekick Registrar Nick (played by Michael French) who find themselves in a continuous running battle with Consultant Muriel McKendrick (played by Phyllis Logan) over beds with the rest of the staff caught in the cross-fire.
Meanwhile, when the show first started out in 1999, it began with eleven main characters in its first series, all of whom have since left the show. New main characters have been both written in and out since, with a core of around fifteen main actors employed at any given time. In casting the first series, co-creator Mal Young sought actors who were already well known in the television industry, something which has continued throughout its history, with cast members including Patsy Kensit, Jane Asher, Robert Powell, Ade Edmondson and John Michie.