Doctors TV series to be canceled after 23 years
The long-running series was set in practice for the Midlands Grand Prix.
Production on the daytime medical drama Doctors has ended, the BBC has announced.
The BBC said that after 23 years on the air, the show had suffered from “hyperinflation in drama production”, causing costs to rise significantly.
The company said it was faced with a choice between reinvesting in the Birmingham venue where the show is produced or funding new shows in the West Midlands.
The final episode is scheduled to air in December 2024.
The BBC said: “We are working closely with BBC Studios to deliver the final episode it deserves.”
He also expressed his gratitude to all the cast and staff who have worked on the show since 2000.
“Actor’s Training Ground”
The show was produced by the BBC’s Pebble Mill until 2004 and follows the lives of the staff and patients at a Midlands GP practice in the fictional town of Letherbridge.
Scott Bryan, TV critic for the BBC’s Must Watch podcast, said on X (formerly Twitter) that the show was “a training ground for a lot of actors”.
The show has featured celebrities such as Eddie Redmayne, Sheridan Smith, Nicholas Hoult, Rusty Lee and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
“For many of us, this is the show we watch on a sick day,” Brian added.
The BBC said Drama Village, where the show is currently produced, would need further investment to continue operating and had no choice but to switch production to another site.
The company said it had been a difficult decision, but said: “With a flat license fee, the BBC’s funding challenges will force us to make tough choices to deliver greater value to our viewers.”
