Casualty legend Cathy Shipton has spoken out about the “real shame” of the BBC’s decision to axe Doctors after a 24-year run, blaming soaring production costs and the necessity for set renovations. The beloved daytime drama, which first hit screens in 2000, will broadcast its final episode in December 2024, with the BBC promising to craft “the finale it deserves”.

Set in the made-up West Midlands town of Letherbridge, Doctors has charted the personal and professional lives of those at an NHS doctor’s surgery and a university campus surgery, alongside their families and friends. The show has been a launchpad for hundreds of actors, with an estimated 800 guest stars gracing the soap annually, reports OK!

Cathy, famed for her role as Lisa “Duffy” Duffin in Casualty, is set to grace the Doctors set once more on 3 October, marking her third comeback to the series. Four years after bidding farewell to Duffy, a character cherished for her compassionate and steadfast nature, Cathy remains a firm fan favourite.

Duffy was a cornerstone of Casualty for the initial eight seasons, departing in 1993 only to return in 1998 for another five-year tenure, which also saw her crossover into Holby City. Beyond the screen, Cathy has leveraged her celebrity status to champion healthcare initiatives and support vital organisations like the British Heart Foundation.

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She made a celebrated return to her role as Duffy in 2006 to commemorate the show’s twentieth anniversary and again in 2015. In June 2016, it was announced that she would appear in the show’s thousandth episode, before returning as a regular cast member in August. Unfortunately, Duffy was written out of the show on 1 February 2020.

Cathy is now set to star in an episode of Doctors titled ‘Shock Therapy’, which will also feature former Corrie star Shayne Ward who’s currently showing off his moves on Strictly and his real-life fiancée Sophie Austin. The episode, scheduled for broadcast on October 3, teases: “Luca introduces a friend to the joys and pitfalls of working for the NHS, while Holly continues trying to persuade Scarlett to join her livestream. Zara reveals the shocking truth about a patient’s recent behavioural changes.”

This marks Cathy’s third appearance on the show as character Melissa Horner, described as a “very straight-talking northern woman and former union negotiator.” She’s also the mother of Sophie Austin’s character, Sandra. Expressing her disappointment about Doctors ending after 24 years on air in December, Cathy shared her feelings with TV Times.

She expressed her dismay to the outlet: “It’s a real shame and a shock, and I think, sadly, an ill-advised decision. Holby City has gone, Doctors has gone…Young directors, writers and actors; they all cut their teeth on these kinds of shows. You are aware, particularly with the crew, that people buy homes and move their families there. I didn’t want to talk about it on set because you’re there to do a job, but I did have a few chats with people on the QT and it was a real blow to everyone.”

She also opened up about how having her renowned Casualty character meet an end provided her with “closure” and the foreknowledge of her dementia plot 18 months in advance aided her in dealing with the loss.

The news follows last year’s announcement that Doctors would be ending its run after more than two decades on air, with production wrapping up in March but episodes expected to broadcast until Christmas 2024. A representative from BBC stated then: “We have taken the very difficult decision to bring daytime drama Doctors to an end after 23 years.”

“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.”