Holby City cancelled: Casualty spin-off axed by BBC after 23 years

Holby City has been cancelled by the BBC, it has been announced.

The Casualty spin-off began in 1999, and will air its last episode in March 2022.

In a statement released on Wednesday (2 June), the BBC called it a “difficult decision”, adding that the move would “make room for new opportunities”.

“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,” the statement said.

“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.”

The statement describe the show as “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.”

The medical drama, which airs weekly on BBC One, was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young. It follows the lives of staff at a fictional hospital and has regularly featured crossovers with Casualty.

The cast of BBC show ‘Holby City’ (BBC)

It no longer features any of its 11 main original cast members, the list of which included Lisa Faulkner, Nichola Stephenson, Angela Griffin and Michael French.

The series currently features actors Jaye Jacobs, Bob Barrett, Guy Henry and David Ames.

Over the years, famous guest stars have included Ade Edmondson, Patsy Kensit and Jane Asher.

In 2020, the BBC donated fully working ventilators used in Holby City to the NHS’s specialised coronavirus hospital.

The show’s executive producer Simon Harper added: “We are only too happy to help out and do what we can for the courageous and selfless real life medics.”