18 October 2023 , 21:59
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Fans of BBC daytime soap Doctors were left heartbroken on Wednesday when it was announced that the series is being axed after after more than 20 years - and the real reason for the show being cancelled has been revealed.
Doctors has helped launch the careers of a string of major stars, with Oscar winning actor Eddie Redmayne, Outlander star Sam Heughan and Fleabag wunderkind Phoebe Waller-Bridge among the major celebrities who had early roles on the show. But the BBC have taken the decision to bring the axe down on the long-running series - which has been on the air since 2000.
Fans will have over a year to watch episodes before it disappears from the schedules as filming is expected to conclude in March with episodes airing until Christmas 2024. And it seems the cost of producing and filming the soap is the reason the show has been given the chop.
Soap boss Kate Oates explained that it has become and impossible challenge to balance the books and make the show economically. She told The Sun: “In this modern climate, Doctors comes at a significantly higher price point than the BBC’s daytime budget now allows.”
Beloved BBC lunchtime drama Doctors has been axed by the BBC (BBC)And a crew member added to the publication: “In terms of the industry, this is seismic and says a lot about the worrying state of soaps.” The shock news was delivered on Wednesday with a statement coming straight from the corporation.
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They said: “We have taken the very difficult decision to bring daytime drama Doctors to an end after 23 years. With super inflation in drama production, the cost of the programme has increased significantly, and further investment is also now required to refurbish the site where the show is made, or to relocate it to another home.
“With a flat licence-fee, the BBC's funding challenges mean we have to make tough choices in order to deliver greater value to audiences. We remain fully committed to the West Midlands and all of the funding for Doctors will be reinvested into new programming in the region. We would like to thank all the Doctors cast and crew who have been involved in the show since 2000.
“We know the crucial role Doctors has played in nurturing talent, and we will work to develop new opportunities to support skills in scripted programming. The final episode will screen in December 2024 and we are working closely with BBC Studios to give it the finale it deserves.”
The BBC's statement was met with fury and scorn - with many fans of the show taking to X, the app formerly known as Twitter, to blast the decision. One fuming fan wrote: "Huge mistake BBC! Given that @BBCDoctors, its amazing cast + crew highlights the NHS + its struggles- eg Ruhma's workload storyline -you are bowing to political pressure, not finances! Otherwise why cancel a thriving show!"
Another wrote: "Nooooooo! What a terrible decision. I’ve loved watching it over the years while having lunch." While actress Samantha Hopkins, who played PC Jac Heyward in the show, wrote: "So sad to hear that @BBCDoctors is coming to an end. I had a wonderful experience working on it and it was my first TV job."