Doctors is a British medical soap opera, first broadcast on BBC One on 26 March 2000, and concluded on 14 November 2024. Filmed in Birmingham and set in the fictional West Midlands town of Letherbridge, the soap follows the lives of the staff of both an NHS doctor's surgery and a university campus surgery, as well as the lives of their families and friends. Initially, only 41 episodes of the programme were ordered, but due to the positive reception, the BBC ordered it as a continuing soap opera. Doctors was filmed at the Pebble Mill Studios until 2004; production then relocated to the BBC Drama Village, where it filmed until 2024. Episodes are filmed three months prior to transmission. The show was typically broadcast Mondays to Thursdays at 2:00 pm on BBC One, as well as having classic episodes broadcast on Drama. It took three annual transmission breaks across the year: at Easter, during the summer and at Christmas.
Sarah Manners is an English actress and businessowner, known for her roles as Joanna Helm in the BBC soap opera Doctors, Bex Reynolds in the BBC medical drama Casualty and Kirsty Knight in the ITV procedural drama The Bill. Manners competed in the second series of Strictly Come Dancing in 2004, where she finished in sixth place, and has gone on to develop a Pilates app, Pilates On Tap.
Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on 18 September 2000. Zoe arrives in Walford along with her father, Charlie, sisters Kat, Lynne, Little Mo, and grandmother Big Mo.
Todd Grimshaw is a fictional character from the British soap opera Coronation Street, formerly played by Bruno Langley from 2001 to 2017, and now played by Gareth Pierce. The character's debut was broadcast on 14 January 2001. He was introduced as part of the Grimshaw family, formed around the established character Eileen Grimshaw.
Tom Banks is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Colm Ó Maonlaí from 23 April to 1 November 2002. Introduced in April 2002 as a love interest for Sharon Watts, producers made the decision to axe the character, and he was killed off in November 2002. The character was said to be popular with female viewers, and he was voted the eighth sexiest male character to appear in EastEnders in a 2005 poll.
Lewis Richardson is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks, played by Ben Hull. Lewis was introduced by Phil Redmond as part of the Richardson family. Lewis made his first on-screen appearance on 30 October 1995 before departing on 15 October 2001. Lewis was initially a "good bloke" but changed, becoming like his abusive father Dennis Richardson. Lewis's exit from the serial was devised by series producer Jo Hallows who decided to kill Lewis on screen as part of a suicide storyline. The storyline was devised to show the "full horror" of suicide.
Diane Lloyd is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, played by actress Patricia Potter. She first appeared in the series four episode "High Risk", broadcast on 2 July 2002. Diane arrives at the hospital to work as a surgical registrar. She is characterised as an "ambitious" female determined to succeed in a "male-dominated world". She is portrayed as unlucky-in-love and has numerous failed relationships during her time on the show.
The first series of the British medical soap opera Doctors originally aired between 26 March and 19 May 2000. It consisted of 41 episodes, which was the initial order for the entire programme, but it was later renewed for more following a positive reception. Mal Young, the original executive producer of Doctors, introduced nine regular characters for the series and many of the storylines focused on doctor Mac McGuire.
The second series of the British medical soap opera Doctors originally aired between 2 October 2000 and 1 June 2001. It consisted of 116 episodes, a large increase on the initial 41 episodes ordered for the first series. The series saw the departures of five regulars introduced in the first series, while Eva Fontaine joined the cast as Faith Walker.
The third series of the British medical soap opera Doctors originally aired between 3 September 2001 and 22 May 2002. It consisted of 129 episodes. The series saw multiple castings due to a large amount of cast exits in the previous series. These included new regulars Ariyon Bakare, Tabitha Wady, Natalie J. Robb, Tom Butcher, Nicole Arumugam and Tim Downie, amongst other recurring cast members. Wady and Arumugam departed from their roles at the conclusion of the series. The series received an average of 2.5 million viewers.
Lily Chao is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Casualty, played by actress Crystal Yu. She first appeared in the series twenty-eight episode "Bedside Manners", broadcast on 3 August 2013. Lily arrives at Holby City hospital to resume her second year of the Foundation Programme. Yu had previously appeared in the show as a separate guest character. She also decided to learn certain medical procedures to make her character believable. Lily is characterised as an ambitious junior doctor and intelligent high-achiever. Lily is good at her job but lacks any "bedside manner" and her no-nonsense attitude causes problems with colleagues and patients alike. The character was originally working towards a career in dermatology but becomes accustomed to the variety of work the Holby City's Emergency Department has to offer.
Ellen Zitek is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Casualty, played by actress Georgina Bouzova. She first appeared in the series nineteen episode "Out With a Bang", broadcast on 18 September 2004. Bouzova was originally signed to appear in the show for four months. The character proved popular with viewers and her contract was renewed. Ellen is characterised as a charming and intelligent woman who has a manipulative side. She can be nasty and scheming, traits which initially worried Bouzova who presumed the public would dislike her. Ellen is originally from Ukraine and arrives in Holby City to work as a nurse. She was introduced as the step-sister of Nina Farr.
Lisa "Duffy" Duffin is a character from the BBC medical drama Casualty, played by Cathy Shipton. Duffy was created by Jeremy Brock and Paul Unwin as one of the serial's ten original characters. Shipton received her audition just as she was thinking of giving up her acting career. She thought her chances of being cast were slim, as she had on bandages following a fall; however, the producer, Geraint Morris, was fascinated by the incident and asked her about her time in the hospital. Shipton was considered for the role of receptionist Susie Mercier, before being cast as Duffy. She made her debut in the pilot episode of the first series, broadcast on 6 September 1986.
Tina Seabrook is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Casualty, played by Claire Goose. She made her first appearance during the twelfth series episode "Give My Love to Esme", which was broadcast on 11 September 1997. Tina was introduced as a staff nurse in Holby City Hospital's emergency department. Goose was tempted to give up acting when she attended the audition for the part. It marked her first major television role. Goose spent a day at a real-life hospital while researching her character's occupation.
Zubin Khan is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, played by actor Art Malik. He first appeared in the series five episode "Private Lives", broadcast on 17 June 2003. Zubin arrives at Holby City hospital as a consultant anaesthetist. The BBC's drama controller Mal Young approached Malik with the offer of joining the show. He let Malik have control over Zubin's characterisation and as a result Zubin became a Muslim man with an "honourable" persona. The actor also accepted the role because he believed that Holby City positively featured many multiracial characters. To prepare for the role Malik consulted with his real-life family of surgeons and took work experience in a hospital.
Scarlett Kiernan is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Kia Pegg. Details surrounding Pegg's casting and Scarlett's characterisation were announced in March 2022. She was introduced on 7 April 2022 as an applicant for a receptionist position. Scarlett is depicted as a truthful and short-tempered person who shocks the staff at the Mill with her honesty. She is always shown to have a bright and clashing sense of style, something that Pegg was initially shocked by. Eventually, Pegg began liking the clothes which she felt had impacted her real-life wardrobe and she began suggesting clothes and accessories for Scarlett to wear. Scarlett is hired despite her "feisty attitude" and is initially shown to struggle with the job when she gives the staff members attitude and argues with patients. However, as she settles into the Mill, she befriends with her colleagues and show a more likeable side of herself, while also feuding with fellow newcomer Princess Buchanan.
