Final episode date confirmed for BBC soap that has aired for over 20 years

The end of an era

Last October, the BBC announced the long-running daytime show was being axed as part of cost-cutting measures.

The show, which was first broadcast in 2000, follows the life of those working in an NHS doctor's surgery.

However, the BBC confirmed last year that budget constraints meant the show was coming to an end.

"We have taken the very difficult decision to bring daytime drama Doctors to an end after 23 years," the broadcaster said.

"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. We know the crucial role Doctors has played in nurturing talent, and we will work to develop new opportunities to support skills in scripted programming.

"The final episode will screen in December 2024 and we are working closely with BBC Studios to give it the finale it deserves.”

Although the BBC previously said the final episode was due to air in December this year, it has now been confirmed the soap's finale will broadcast on Thursday November 14.

It comes after fans were urged not to visit the set earlier this year, while the cast were filming the final scenes.

The soap has been filmed in the Selly Oak area of Birmingham since 2004.

The production base is in the centre of the BBC's Drama Village, on the University of Birmingham's campus, so is therefore accessible to the public.

But unlike soaps such as Coronation Street and Emmerdale, there are no organised tours of the set for fans to visit.

In a message shared on X by a fan account, one of the show's directors pleaded to fans not to visit cast and crew during filming of the final scenes.

Niall Fraser, who has worked on Doctors since 2007, wrote: "I totally get that some of our loyal and lovely fans want to visit the set this coming week.

"We all appreciate that without the fans we wouldn’t even have made it to 23 years.

"Please please please do not visit on Friday. This will be a very emotional and difficult day for cast and crew.

"Also, please do not visit Tuesday AM, as due to the nature of what we will be filming we need a visitor free site."