The news that no Doctors fan wanted to hear arrived back in October last year when the BBC announced that the daytime soap would end after nearly 25 years on our screens – and we now have an air date and storylines for the final ever episode.
The BAFTA-winning show, which is loved by fans around the country, first aired in 2000, but in 2023 it was revealed that the soap was no longer affordable within the broadcaster’s daytime budget.
The British medical soap, set in the fictional West Midlands town of Letherbridge, follows the lives of NHS staff at a doctor’s surgery, bringing us drama not only from their time at work but also their personal lives.
Over the years writers for the soap have been praised for tackling tricky topics and the show has seen a huge number of familiar faces coming and going from the cast. But, what is there to know about the soap as it comes to a close? Here’s everything we know about Doctors coming to an end…
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When is Doctors’ last ever episode?
Filming for the final batch of episodes ended in March 2024, with the last ever episode set to air on BBC One on Thursday, November 14, 2024 at 2pm.
TV bosses originally said that the finale would air in December this year, however, it has now been confirmed that the show will end earlier than originally expected.
There will be a big celebration on BBC One for the final day of Doctors with a special episode of Bargain Hunt at 12.15pm on BBC One featuring cast members and a retrospective documentary, Doctors: A Celebration, that will look back at life in Letherbridge and airs at 2.35pm on BBC One.
What happens in the last ever episode of Doctors?
There is drama in the final epsiode as the surgery staff confronts Graham Elton (Alex Avery) for his evil ways. Graham was supposed to have been a saving grace when the GP came on board as a new practice partner earlier in the year. But unfortunately, Graham has turned out to be an unpleasant bigot who has managed to get on the wrong side of all the existing staff!
Although Zara is not feeling great since her recent life-changing health diagnosis, she is determined to do some damage control before Graham causes everyone to quit!
Graham is annoyed when he finds The Mill unexpectedly abandoned, and little does he know Zara has called the staff to an emergency meeting at The Icon, including dismissed employees, nurse Luca McIntyre (Ross McLaren) and GP Michelle Walton (Joanna Bending).
Zara is determined to get Graham out, but without his practice partner money, The Mill could face closure. Can the surgery staff unite to send Graham packing one way or another?
Why has Doctors been taken off BBC One?
The soap has been cancelled following rising costs in TV production.
Fans were thrilled in February 2022 when BBC bosses announced that the soap would be moving to a 7pm primetime slot on BBC2 after Holby City came to an end. However, the show didn’t bring in the viewers the BBC had hoped for and it returned to its daytime slot just weeks later.
It was announced in October 2023 that the soap would be axed. A BBC statement said at the time: “We have taken the very difficult decision to bring daytime drama Doctors to an end. 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 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. We will work to develop new opportunities to support skills in scripted programming and we are working closely with BBC Studios to give it the finale it deserves.”
Doctors first aired on the BBC on March 26, 2000 and we have been treated to 24 series of the soap and more than 4,500 episodes over the years.
Initially, only 41 episodes of the soap were ordered, but due to the positive reception, the BBC ordered it as a continuing drama.
What days does Doctors air?
Doctors airs Monday to Thursday at 2.00pm on BBC One.
