Produced by BBC Studios, the drama series Doctors first premiered in 2000. According to Deadline, after twenty-three years on air, BBC has chosen to cancel the series. Doctors will come to an official end with the finale in December 2024.
As Deadline notes, BBC’s decision to scrap the series stems from issues with funding. Specifically, the production company stated, “With a flat license-fee, the BBC’s funding challenges mean we have to make tough choices in order to deliver greater value to audiences.”
The BBC continued to state, “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.”
Set in the fictional town of Letherbridge, Doctors revolves around the lives of various medical staff. Since its premiere in 2000, the series has won seventeen British Academy Film Awards, which are also known as BAFTAs. The cast of Doctors includes Ian Midline (The Sarah Jane Adventures, Fingersmith) as Al Haskey, Dido Miles (Emma, Black Beauty) as Emma Reid, Kiruna Stamell (Cast Offs, The Serpent Queen) as Kristy Millar, and many more.
The BBC, according to Deadline, also included a nod to the cast of the series. The production company stated, “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.”
Joy Wilkinson (Lockwood & Co., The Watch), who directed thirty-six episodes of the series, expressed her condolences for the cancellation on X/Twitter. In her post, which can be viewed below, she wrote, “So sorry to hear about @BBCDoctors ending. I’d have left TV drama if it wasn’t for this wonderful, warm and creative show. My 36eps were the making of me, as it formed many on both sides of the camera. Big love to all at Letherbridge. Go out with a bang!”
Fans can look forward to seeing how the lives of their favorite medical staff wrap up in the finale of Doctors in 2024.