Country of origin United Kingdom Original network BBC One | No. of episodes 52 | |
Original release 11 October 2016 (2016-10-11) – present | ||
The nineteenth series of the British medical drama television series Holby City commenced airing in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 11 October 2016. The series will consist of 52 episodes.
Contents
Production
The series began airing on Tuesday nights on BBC One from 11 October 2016. Oliver Kent continues his role as the executive producer of the show, while Simon Harper serves as the series producer. Kent was appointed Head of Continuing Drama Series for BBC Scripted Studios in late 2016. Harper was subsequently appointed executive producer of the show. Story conferencing for the series began on 15 March 2016. The series will consist of 52 episodes.
Overview
The series began with 16 roles receiving star billing. Guy Henry portrayed Henrik Hanssen, the hospital's chief executive officer and a consultant general surgeon on Keller ward. Hugh Quarshie played Ric Griffin, the clinical lead of Keller ward and a consultant general surgeon, who later acted as the hospital's CEO. Catherine Russell starred as Serena Campbell, the clinical lead of AAU ward and a consultant general surgeon, and Rosie Marcel acted as Jac Naylor, the clinical lead of Darwin ward and a consultant cardiothoracic surgeon. John Michie portrayed Guy Self, a consultant neurosurgeon working on the Darwin ward, and Chizzy Akudolu played Mo Effanga, a consultant on the cardiothoracic surgery ward, Darwin. Bob Barrett starred as a consultant general surgeon and clinical skills teacher on Keller ward. James Anderson acted as Oliver Valentine, a specialist registrar on Darwin, and Joe McFadden played Raf di Lucca, a general surgical specialist registrar. Camilla Arfwedson and David Ames portrayed Zosia March and Dominic Copeland, doctors undergoing the second year of core training on Darwin and Keller wards respectively. Eleanor Fanyinka acted as Morven Digby, a doctor undergoing the second year of foundation training on AAU ward, and Lucinda Dryzek starred as Jasmine Burrows, a doctor undergoing the first year of foundation training on Keller ward. Alex Walkinshaw played Adrian Fletcher, the ward manager of AAU ward, and Kaye Wragg portrayed Essie Harrison, the transplant co-ordinator and a staff nurse on the general surgery ward, Keller. Ben Hull, Jules Robertson and Marc Elliott continued their semi-regular roles as consultant obstetrician/gynaecologist Derwood Thompson, clinical audit assistant (and later, porter) Jason Haynes and general surgical specialist registrar Issac Mayfield.
Michie and Jonathan McGuiness (who played semi-recurring character Tristian Wood) departed in episode six. Kaisa Hammarlund made her final appearance as her semi-recurring character, bank nurse Inga Olsen in episode thirteen. Bernie Wolfe (Jemma Redgrave) was revealed to be returning on 13 September 2016, following her departure at the end of the previous series. She returned in episode seven. Christian Vit joined the cast as Matteo Rossini, a locum consultant (and later full-time consultant) on cardiothoracic surgery ward, Darwin. He made his first appearance in episode eight. Several cast changes were announced to be happening in Spring 2017 on 10 February 2017: former Casualty character Ben "Lofty" Chiltern, portrayed by Lee Mead, was announced to be joining the cast of Holby City; Jaye Jacobs was confirmed to reprise her role as Donna Jackson, following a six-year absence; and Ayesha Dharker and David Ajao were confirmed to join the cast as general surgeon Nina Karnik, who is married to Matteo Rossini, and F1 Damon Ford respectively.
The series featured and will feature several recurring characters, and numerous guest stars. Louisa Clein and Louis Davison joined the cast in episode one and two as mother and son, Kim and Parker Whitfield respectively. Both characters left the series in episode ten, but Kim returned in episode nineteen and Parker returned in episode twenty-two. Tessa Peake-Jones reprised her role as Imelda Cousins, the former acting CEO of the hospital who last appeared in the fifteenth series, in episode three. Ahead of her return, Peake-Jones said that returning to Holby City was "like returning home". Mark Healy was revealed to be returning to his role as Robbie Medcalf, Serena's ex-partner on 13 September 2016. He appeared in the episode five. Nic Jackman reprised his role as Cameron Dunn, a doctor training in the Foundaton Programme at year 1, in episode eight. He departed in episode fourteen, but the show's Spring 2017 trailer confirmed his return to the serial. Jamie Nichols returned to his role as Lee Cannon, Dominic's ex-partner, in episode eleven. Serena's daughter, Elinor Campbell (Amy McCallum), was reintroduced for two episodes from episode twelve. Derwood Thompson's mother, Birdie Thompson (Susan Brown), was introduced for one episode in episode thirteen. The character was reintroduced later in the series and will appear in Spring 2017. Former recurring characters Carole Copeland (Julia Deakin) and Barry Copeland (Nicholas Ball) returned for one episode in episode fourteen. Lloyd Everitt will guest star in episodes sixteen and seventeen as his Casualty character, paramedic Jez Andrews, who will be involved in a storyline in which he has sex with Issac, despite Issac being in a relationship with Dominic. Everitt's co-star, Tony Marshall (who plays receptionist Noel Garcia in Casualty), guest appeared in episode twenty-three. The show's Spring 2017 trailer confirmed the reintroductions of: Kyle Greenham (Alan Morrissey), an agency nurse and Dom's former partner who last appeared in 2014; and Fran Reynolds, a former agency nurse who last appeared in 2015.