'Doctors have really pushed the boat out for the 3000th anniversary!' says Ian Kelsey (VIDEO)

(Image credit: BBC)

As BBC daytime soap Doctors celebrates its 3000th episode, we caught up with Ian Kelsey, who plays practice manager Howard, to get a look behind the scenes as they filmed on location in Birmingham city centre. "]

"Doctors have really pushed the boat out on this episode," says Ian. "We've got about 100 extras who appear in the background."

In a special one-hour episode, policeman Rob is still out to shut down a paedophile ring known as The Treehouse. But there's deadly danger when a gunman has him in his sights.

"I think Doctors is like a little present that's opened up every day," says Ian, when asked about the ongoing appeal of Doctors, which has been running for 15 years. "Each episode has a Story Of The Day and you never know what it's going to be. It could be someone having a baby on a park bench, to Howard losing his pencil and getting in a state about it! New characters come in and you see a beginning, middle and end with these stories."

The anniversary episode of Doctors screens on September 10 on BBC1

Simon Timblick
Writer

Simon has long been a fan of soap operas, and especially loves OVER-THE-TOP plots involving evil twins, hair-pulling catfights and natural disasters.

Anyone remember the Sunset Beach earthquake/tidal wave?

Or when Krystle Carrington got locked in the attic and replaced by look-a-like Rita in Dynasty?!


Simon has written for a variety of TV and childrens’ magazines/websites including Inside Soap, Nickelodeon, What’s On TV, Radio Times, Metro, Girl Talk, Disney Girl, Toxic! and Digital Spy.

He has reported LIVE from the red carpet at The British Soap Awards interviewing glammed-up stars from soapland, and hosted a Facebook LIVE session for Metro with Home and Away legend Ray Meagher (Alf "Stone the flamin' crows!" Stewart) to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Aussie soap.


Simon is also co-author of The Treasures Of Coronation Street (Carlton Books)


And the writer and director of (very!) low budget fright flick, Midsummer Night's EVIL and the sequel webisodes series, The Hatchet Woods HORROR.