The BBC are crazy and short-sighted for axing Holby City – it’s no surprise people are scrapping TV licenses, say bosses

WIELDING the axe on hit medical drama Holby City was "crazy and short-sighted" according to show bosses - with the decision "purely political."

BBC series creator Tony McHale has spoken openly about the decision to cull the hospital-based series, with its final episode set to air tonight.

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Tony has worked alongside Mal Young on Holby City, and bluntly told the online its axing was a "purely political decision."

He continued: "It’s a crazy, short-sighted and unnecessary victim of the new BBC dogma that they have to move into the regions, make fewer programmes in-house and involve more independent production companies.

"Holby was special; it had retained its audience and maintained its quality, which is no easy thing.

"You should never throw something like that away lightly.”

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Speaking of the human impact, Mal continued: "Hundreds of people on both sides of the camera will lose their jobs.

"Holby was written by people from the regions and used a lot of regional talent.

"It was ostensibly set in Bristol and I would imagine its audience neither knew nor cared where it was made."

A stalwart for BBC audiences, Holby City was cancelled in a bid "to reshape the BBC's drama slate to better reflect, represent and serve all parts of the country", according to a statement released by the broadcaster.

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The statement also read: "We are incredibly proud of Holby City but it’s with great sadness that we are announcing that after 23 years, the show will end on screen in March of next year."

Writer Joe Ainsworth has also pitched in, telling the publication: "It's bloody sad.

"It's really telling that people on Twitter are threatening to burn their television licences, and there have been petitions too."

Meanwhile, narrowing the potential pool of viewers, the BBC is set to scrap free telly licenses for OAPs - with many claiming the broadcaster is a "turn off" for younger audiences.

FINAL FAREWELL

Meanwhile, final scenes for Holby were filmed back in December 2021.

While the Covid pandemic wasn't enough for production to be halted - as filming continued amid lockdown measures - TV bosses still made the decision to cancel Holby City.

As the end looms, some Holby City stars have broken their silence.

Actress Rosie Marcel has teased a "spectacular" ending to the show when its cancellation was announced.

She said: "What we have planned is really spectacular, the ending is a massive nod to the NHS and to everyone making this show.

"We have nearly 300 people here who are losing their jobs, yet we're all soldiering on and pulling out the stops."

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"We could have just given up and gone 'Sod this', but we're not."

Rosie added: "Just wait and see what we can do."

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