BBC soap Doctors has been axed after 23 years

The BBC has announced the soap Doctors will come to an end next year.

The long-running series, about the doctors and staff at a busy Midlands GP practice, launched in 2000.

It has hosted a myriad of now-A-list names early on in their careers, including Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Eddie Redmayne, Claire Foy, and Emilia Clarke.

The final episode will air in December 2024 and the BBC said it will be working to give the show “the finale it deserves”.

The broadcaster said it has now become too expensive to make the show, which would need either investment to refurbish the sets or to be relocated.

A statement 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.”

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