Over 30,000 fans sign petition to save Holby City
It's been axed after 23 years
Fans of hit hospital drama Holby City were left devastated last week when the BBC confirmed the show would be coming to an end after 23 years, with the final episode due to air in March 2022.
However, following the shock announcement on Tuesday 2nd June, die hard Holby fans are trying everything in their power to save the show, with a petition being set up to try and change the minds of bosses.
The change.org petition reads: 'Holby City has millions of weekly viewers, and has won hundreds of awards. It is also one of the most diverse dramas on the BBC - bringing stories of real people across society, from all backgrounds and experiences. The combination of permanent characters and single episode characters offers a huge range of storylines, highlighting important issues and experiences in medicine and society. The show has raised awareness about so many issues of value to the public - whether that's mental health, bereavement, exploring faith or sexuality.
'If like me and my family, you care so much about this program please share and sign this petition.
'The pandemic has shown how highly the public value the NHS, and Holby City is an important representation of the work that the NHS does, and the issues the NHS and its staff and patients face.'
At the time of publication, the petition, titled 'Don't scrap Holby City', has amassed over 30,000 signatures, with the figure rising by the minute.
The BBC released a lengthy statement about the axing of the popular soap earlier this week, confirming they are 'making room for new opportunities'.
The statement 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.
"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.
“We look forward to working with the team over the coming months to ensure that when it ends, Holby goes out on a high.”
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Holby City will continue to air every Tuesday night on BBC One until the final scenes which are due to air in March 2022.
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