Holby City to end after 23 years: BBC make ‘difficult decision’ to conclude Casualty spin-off

Holby City will conclude in 2022 after 23 years on the air, the BBC announced on Wednesday.

Branding it a ‘difficult decision’, the network have slated the medical drama to come to a conclusion on screen in March next year.

The BBC said in a statement: ‘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.

‘We sometimes have to make difficult decisions to make room for new opportunities and as part of the BBC’s commitment to make more programmes across the UK.

‘We have taken the difficult decision to bring the show to a close in order to reshape the BBC’s drama slate to better reflect, represent and serve all parts of the country.

‘We would like to take this opportunity to thank the amazing team at BBC Studios and all the cast and crew who have been involved in the show since 1999.

‘Holby has been a stalwart with audiences, delighting millions of viewers each week and winning hundreds of awards with a compelling mix of cutting-edge medical stories and explosive personal stories.’

The BBC insisted they will make sure the programme goes out ‘on a high’.

They added: ‘We look forward to working with the team over the coming months to ensure that when it ends, Holby goes out on a high.’

The show – which airs weekly on BBC One – launched on January 12, 1999, as a spin-off from fellow BBC medical drama Casualty, which began in September 1986.