BBC axe popular daytime soap ‘Doctors’ after 23 years and announce replacement
A fond farewell to daytime soap Doctors as the show is set to air its final episode on November 14. A replacement is already scheduled and fans are not happy…
Doctors has been the BBC’s flagship daytime drama for more than two decades. But its medics hung up their stethoscopes this month following the corporation’s decision to axe the much-loved soap owing to budget constraints.
The 2pm Monday to Thursday slot will not be filled by Hope Street as many soap fans had hoped.
Instead, Scam Interceptors will take the afternoon slot according to advanced listings for the week commencing November 18.
Set in the fictional West Midlands town of Letherbridge, Doctors followed the ups and downs of staff and patients at The Mill Health Centre and its sister surgeries in Sutton Vale and the University of Letherbridge.
So far, so formulaic. But while other soaps stick to naturalistic storytelling, Doctors has always been more creative, having aired episodes told entirely via monologues, duologues, dance and even Shakespeare-themed sequences.
In 2020, it broke new ground again with a special 45-minute episode exploring life in lockdown.
Written by Toby Walton, the episode Can You Hear Me was shot entirely by the cast in their own homes using mobile phones, and was the first of its kind for a British continuing drama series.
When it launched in 2000, Doctors focused on Dr Brendan “Mac” McGuire, played by Christopher Timothy, best known for playing James Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small.
Since those early days, Doctors has evolved into an ensemble piece following the lives of staff and patients at the surgery in addition to other healthcare professionals, their family and friends, and the wider community.
Doctors won earned Best Single Episode at the British Soap Awards 2022.
The show never shied away from taboo topics, such as abortion, euthanasia and addiction. Such bold storytelling earned numerous awards including Best Single Episode at the British Soap Awards 2022 for a duologue about coercive control.
It previously made history when it shared the prize for Scene of the Year with EastEnders, the first time there has been a tie at the awards.
The winning episode, The Bollywood Proposal, saw the cast perform a specially choreographed Bollywood dance.
Why are fans, actors and writers so upset about Doctors being axed?
Unusually for a soap, Doctors airs in the afternoon. That hasn’t stopped it from winning a legion of fans, however, with more than 2.5 million tuning in for their daily appointment.
Every year, the show comes off air for a fortnight to make way for coverage of Wimbledon, much to the annoyance of fans. News of the demise of Doctors therefore sent shockwaves through its
fanbase, including the 12,000 who follow the Doctors Facebook page.
A petition to save the soap garnered 33,858 signatures. While ultimately unsuccessful, this show of support demonstrates the strength of feeling about its departure.
“I started the petition because I believe Doctors and other soaps have an important place in our society,” said superfan Keri Stone. “I’m disappointed Doctors couldn’t be saved. It’s a massive loss to the television industry.”
For fan and blogger Claire Evans the show has been a comfort and a companion.
“I’ve watched Doctors from the beginning. Each episode is usually a self-contained story, so it doesn’t matter if you miss one. I returned to watching Doctors daily during my maternity leave.
“It became part of my routine after feeding my baby and doing housework. It was a treat to watch before the school run.
“Shows like this are important to people who are at home during the day for various reasons. I hope there is a good replacement to keep people company.”
More than 200 episodes of Doctors were made each year and it took the regular cast, three guest stars and a full production crew to make each one.
Axing the soap will mean job losses and fewer opportunities for actors – 800 guest stars were contracted annually.
Writers of the show, tasked with collectively creating 230 stories a year, were shaken by the decision. Philip Ralph penned episodes for nearly 20 years and said the show had a “huge heart”.
Philip said, “I already miss writing for the show enormously… British TV now has no other show like it that offers real opportunities for writers, actors and crew to learn their craft in a warm, nurturing environment.”
Sheridan Smith played two separate characters on Doctors in 2000 and then in 2004. Image: Shutterstock
The stars who shot to fame after appearing in Doctors
Appearing in Doctors is considered a rite of passage, acting as a launchpad for British thespians.
Over its 23 years these included a young Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Helen George (Call The Midwife) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny).
Many other now high-profile actors has starred in the show such as Eddie Redmayne, Carey Mulligan, Sheridan Smith and Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke in her first acting role.
Established actors and performers have also stepped inside the surgery over the years including Joe Pasquale, Darren Day, Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley and This Morning and Bake-Off presenter Alison Hammond.
Peter Sallis, known for playing Cleggy in Last of the Summer Wine and Wallace in the Wallace and Gromit films, also featured as a guest star.
In 2018, Wendy Craig was reunited with Bruce Montague, her co-star in 1970s sitcom Butterflies, when both appeared in the same episode.
