BBC confirms Doctors' final episode date as series ends early after 23 years

After a memorable 23 years on our screens, the medical drama Doctors is bidding a sad farewell, with the final episode set to air next month.

The much-loved BBC medical drama Doctors has confirmed its last ever episode will be broadcast on Thursday, November 14, after an impressive 23-year run.

Despite wrapping up filming months ago, fans were led to believe that Doctors would carry on until the end of the year, with hints of a Christmas finale dropped by producers.

However, in a surprising twist, the BBC has revealed that the series will conclude much earlier than expected, with Letherbridge's medical team taking their final bow in just five weeks.

The decision to wrap up the series was announced back in October last year, with the broadcaster outlining several key reasons for the show's conclusion at the time.

Last year, the BBC stated: "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."

They added: "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."

The BBC expressed their gratitude for those who have contributed to the programme since its inception, adding: "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."

Doctors, primarily filmed in Birmingham, wrapped up its final scenes in March, reports the Mirror. Over the past two decades, the daytime drama was a fixture on BBC One, following the lunchtime news but also had a brief prime-time run at 7 PM on BBC Two last year.

With an initial commission of just 41 episodes in March 2000, Doctors quickly became a fan favourite, leading to its status as a staple soap opera.

The termination of Doctors marks the second medical drama the BBC has cut recently, following Holby City's cancellation in 2022 after a similarly long 23-year run, reflecting tough decisions made by network executives regarding their long-standing series.

Catch up with Doctors on BBC iPlayer now.

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