Axed soap Doctors confirms special episode ahead of final ever show

BBC viewers will get a chance to say goodbye to medical soap Doctors before it airs its final episode

Doctors, which will air its last episode in November, is to celebrate the medical soap with a special BBC episode before it comes off air for good.

The BBC soap is set in a fictional Midlands based GP practice, and has ran for 23 years as a daytime TV programme.

However it was announced earlier this year that the soap, which has ran for more than 20 years, will end at the end of the year before later changing the finale to November.

BBC reasons for axing the soap put the blame on the show’s "increased expenses".

The BBC have now given viewers a chance to reminisce over the storylines of the past two decades, with its special episode 'Doctors: A Celebration'.

Airing in November, the 25 minute special will be "a factual documentary celebrating 24 years of the popular daytime soap opera, including interviews with the cast and crew that have made it possible" according to the BBC website.

The series has featured early performances from stars such as Eddie Redmayne, Sheridan Smith and Emilia Clarke.

The show was also praised for tackling hard hitting topics such as sexual assault, homelessness and abortion.

The decision to stop making future episodes of Doctors was announced in October 2023, as the BBC said that the programme had been affected by "super inflation in drama production" and that it will come to an end after running for 23 years.

A BBC spokesperson said at the time: "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."

Filming for the series ended in March this year on the set in Birmingham.

Doctors first aired in March 2000 and set in the fictional West Midlands town of Letherbridge.

The show was typically broadcast at 1.45pm or thereabouts on weekdays on BBC One.

Doctors: A Celebration will air on Thursday 14 November at 2.35pm on BBC1.