Holby City cast ‘only told of cancellation an hour before the public’

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A former Holby City star has claimed the cast of the long-running BBC medical drama were told about the show’s cancellation just an hour before the public.

It was announced earlier this week that the show, a spin-off of Casualty, would be discontinued after 23 years, with the show drawing to a close in March 2022.

The news prompted an outpouring of dismay from fans, with viewers quickly launching a petition asking the BBC to reconsider the decision.

Speaking to The Guardian, Hugh Quarshie, who played the role of Ric for 19 years, said that he was “taken aback” by the news.

He also said that the cast were “reeling too” from the news, and that he understood the cast had been given next to no advance notice before the announcement.

“My understanding is they only found out an hour before released to the press – so no one saw this coming,” he said.

Holby City airs weekly on BBC One. Created by Tony McHale and Mal Young, the series follows the lives of staff at a fictional hospital and has regularly featured crossovers with Casualty.

The BBC statement announcing the cancellation said that the “difficult decision” was motivated by a desire to “make room for new opportunities” that “better reflect, represent and serve all parts of the country”.