Editing Doctors (2000 TV series) (section)

===Response to cancellation===
News of ''Doctors''{{'}} cancellation was met with universal criticism. Ellie Peers, the general secretary of the Writers' Guild of Great Britain, said the end of the soap was "a terrible loss to the UK writing community" as it had long been considered a "training show" for writers.<ref name="Peers">{{cite news |last1=Hall |first1=Rachel |title=BBC is cancelling Doctors soap after 23 years on air |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/oct/18/bbc-is-cancelling-doctors-soap-after-23-years-on-air |access-date=5 February 2025 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=18 October 2023 |archive-date=1 January 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240101053941/https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/oct/18/bbc-is-cancelling-doctors-soap-after-23-years-on-air |url-status=live }}</ref> She added: "it is essential in an increasingly global market that the UK continues to provide distinctive content and opportunities for our writers. It is therefore of real concern that this is the second long-running drama series to be scrapped by the BBC in the last two years, the first being ''Holby City''. The closure of another drama series leaves a big hole in the drama slate, and in the pockets of ''Doctors'' writers, many of whom have written for the show for years."<ref name="Peers" /> ''Doctors'' screenwriter Philip Ralph echoed Peers' comments about the cancellation leaving a hole in the industry. He explained: "there is no other show in the UK industry that offers such variety of storytelling – everything from high drama and tragedy, to farce, dream sequences, stand-alone single plays, themed weeks on important subjects, you name it, we wrote it."<ref name="Ralph">{{cite news |last1=Frost |first1=Caroline |title=Screenwriter Slams "Disastrous" Decision To Axe Long-Running BBC Medical Drama 'Doctors' |url=https://deadline.com/2024/03/doctors-cancellation-bbc-disastrous-decision-says-screenwriter-1235837419/ |access-date=5 February 2025 |work=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=2 March 2024 |archive-date=4 March 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240304100953/https://deadline.com/2024/03/doctors-cancellation-bbc-disastrous-decision-says-screenwriter-1235837419/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Ralph also accredited the decision to increasing the unemployment rate in the creative industry, which at the time of ''Doctors''{{'}}s cancellation, 68% of the [[Broadcasting, Entertainment, Communications and Theatre Union]]'s were unemployed.<ref name="Ralph" />

''[[The i Paper]]'' found ''Doctors''{{'}} cancellation to be worrying for the future of [[British soap operas]], something that scared writer Michael Hogan due to soaps providing awareness for social issues.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hogan |first1=Michael |title=The Doctors cancellation is another sign British soap operas are in crisis |url=https://inews.co.uk/culture/television/the-doctors-cancellation-is-another-sign-british-soap-operas-are-in-crisis-2698809?srsltid=AfmBOoqdE3BgJ-vK3Jv_V32KZ-G1b4sTPCq-KQk1H1B5KazBR9HRRaYJ |access-date=5 February 2025 |work=[[The i Paper]] |date=19 October 2023}}</ref> The ''Metro''{{'}}s Chris Hallam also criticised the decision, one he described as a "big TV moment".<ref name="Moment">{{cite news |last1=Hallam |first1=Chris |title=Why Doctors will be a huge loss as BBC TV series ends after 24 years |url=https://metro.co.uk/2024/11/14/doctors-will-a-huge-loss-bbc-tv-series-ends-24-years-21985657/ |access-date=5 February 2025 |work=[[Metro (British newspaper)|Metro]] |date=14 November 2024}}</ref> He said the series deserved credit for "providing invaluable career changing opportunities for many talented people but also for its efforts in promoting equality of opportunity for people of all races, genders and abilities in both its casting and storylines".<ref name="Moment" /> Hallam also found the cancellation to be a blow to the large base of viewers who continued to watch episodes until the finale. He stressed that the BBC had not cancelled it for low ratings, but instead for a desire to cut costs, which he found problematic.<ref name="Moment" /> A fan of the series launched a petition in an attempt to reverse the decision.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Benton |first1=Rachel |title='Axing Doctors after 24 years is the end of an era' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yxqq89j89o |access-date=5 February 2025 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=14 November 2024}}</ref>

[[Equity (British trade union)|Equity]] were disappointed and concerned with the decisions of the BBC to cancel ''Doctors'', particularly within 18 months of cancelling ''Holby City''. They regarded the series a "vital step" in the life of a British actor, with a large amount of their members' first credit being on the soap.<ref name="Equity">{{cite news |title=Equity statement on the cancellation of Doctors |url=https://www.equity.org.uk/news/2023/equity-statement-on-the-cancellation-of-doctors |access-date=5 February 2025 |publisher=[[Equity (British trade union)|Equity]] |date=18 October 2023 |archive-date=25 January 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250125131213/https://www.equity.org.uk/news/2023/equity-statement-on-the-cancellation-of-doctors |url-status=live }}</ref> Equity have become infamous for protesting to retain the [[licence fee]] in the UK, since it supports the creative industry within the BBC. They confirmed they would still support the licence fee, but urged the BBC "to do better to represent and serve the Midlands region".<ref name="Equity" /> Equity also called on the BBC to have talks with them to go through how ''Doctors''{{'}} funding will be reinvested.<ref name="Equity" /> The [[Royal Television Society]] echoed their concern for the [[Midlands]]' funding, writing: "''Doctors'' has been an engine for growth in the under-resourced Midlands and a way for so much talent on both sides of the camera to find a footing in drama before, hopefully, graduating to bigger things".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Khaila |first1=Kully |title=Our Friend in the Midlands: Kully Khaila on the cancellation of Doctors |url=https://rts.org.uk/article/our-friend-midlands-kully-khaila-cancellation-doctors |access-date=5 February 2025 |publisher=[[Royal Television Society]] |date=5 February 2024}}</ref> ''[[Broadcast (magazine)|Broadcast]]'' wrote that the BBC's decision had put "a generation of talent at risk" and urged the reinvestment of funding into the Midlands.<ref>{{cite news |title=Doctors cancellation puts a generation of talent at risk |url=https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/drama/alexander-jacob-doctors-cancellation-puts-a-generation-of-talent-at-risk/5187065.article |access-date=5 February 2025 |work=[[Broadcast (magazine)|Broadcast]] |date=19 October 2023}}</ref>