Holby City not only left us with a huge hole in our hearts after the final episode of the medical saga screened in March it also left a big gap in our TV viewing schedules. So, why not kill two birds with one stone — by watching your favourite Holby stars and discovering new shows at the same time?
Here’s our guide to the other great dramas and comedy series which feature the stars of Holby City…
Davood Ghadami (Eli Ebrahimi) in Taggart
This one is a double treat. Not only do you get to see Davood in one of his first big TV roles from 2010, but you also get do see him in medical scrubs again. Result! Davood joined the Glasgow-based crime show in its final series, playing pathologist Duncan Clark, helping the cops solve those ‘murrrders’ with his medical skills.
Meanwhile, if you want another peek at Davood in uniform, check out the Doctor Who story Let’s Kill Hitler (BBC iPlayer) where he plays the miniature pilot of a life-sized robot disguised as The Doctor (it’ll make sense once you watch it… honest).
Where to Watch: UKTV Play
David Ames (Dominic Copeland) in Doctor Who
Coming to Holby as a young actor, the medical drama saw David’s first long-running role, but he did clock up a memorable appearance in Doctor Who before walking the wards. David played Nathan in the 2009 episode Planet of the Dead opposite David Tennant’s Doctor and EastEnders’ Michelle Ryan (Zoe Slater). The episode saw him a passenger on a London bus that flew through a wormhole and ended up on a distant desert planet.
Where to Watch: BBC iPlayer
Alex Walkinshaw (Adrian ‘Fletch’ Fletcher) in The Bill
Alex was a stalwart at Sun Hill for over a decade playing Dale ‘Smithy’ Smith. Smithy was all-round good guy, not dissimilar to Fletch — he even had the shortened-surname nickname! Smithy got into several scrapes over the years, but sadly the one of most interest to Holby fans isn’t currently available on catch-up. A plot that ran from 2005-2006 saw Smithy get involved with gangster’s wife, Louise Larson, played by none other than Rosie Marcel aka Holby’s Jac Naylor! Keep your browsers peeled though, as new episodes do sometimes arrive on the UKTV website.
Where to Watch: UKTV Play
Belinda Owusu (Nicky McKendrick) in EastEnders
Trainee Nicky has earned her stripes at Holby, but Belinda cut her teeth in long-running drama playing another talented character — brainbox Libby ‘Squiggle’ Fox in EastEnders. You can catch Libby as Denise’s feisty daughter in the EastEnders 2010 episodes currently enjoying a repeat run on BBC iPlayer.
Where to Watch: BBC iPlayer
Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge (Josh Hudson) in Enterprice
Josh had a dramatic time on Holby, battling his eating disorder and negotiating his forbidden romance with Ange, but you can see a more fun side to Trieve in this BBC3 comedy. Trieve play Jeremiah, one half of a pair of South London entrepreneurs trying to get their business off the ground. One episode (The People v OJ) even features Holby’s Chan Woo Lim (who played Jeong-Soo Han on the show) — two for the price of one!
Where to Watch: BBC iPlayer
Bob Barrett (Sacha Levy) in Absolutely Fabulous
Prior to arriving as Holby’s big-hearted Sacha, Bob had made his name as a theatre actor, with a smattering of the usual TV guest role in The Bill, Casualty, Bad Girls and the like. One standout role, however, is in the classic sitcom Ab Fab, as a boyfriend of Saffy’s, sharing scenes with Julia Sawalha and showbiz legend June Whitfeld. You can catch him in the series four episode Parralox.
Where to Watch: BBC iPlayer
Tyler Luke Cunningham (Louis McGerry) in Boy Meets Girl
We watched Louis and his estranged mum Max reunite when he joined the wards of Holby, with Max coming to terms with the fact Louis was now a trans man. These issues are also explored in this sweet comedy series, which sees Tyler's character Charlie befriend Judy, the series lead, who helps him move forward with his life. You can also catch Tyler as musician Kai in the acclaimed I May Destroy You (BBC iPlayer)
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Jaye Jacobs (Donna Jackson) in Waterloo Road
Swapping the resus room for the staff room, Jaye had her first stint in Holby from 2004 to 2011, before heading to Waterloo Road as Deputy Headteacher Sian Diamond in the eighth series of the school drama. Her role is worth checking out for another reason — Holby's Alex Walkinshaw (Fletch) plays her hubby, PE teacher Jez.
Where to Watch: BBC iPlayer
Jo Martin (Max McGerry) in Doctor Who
The reaction to Holby’s axing certainly proved that the show has got a huge fan following, but that’s nothing compared to the fan following for Doctor Who, as Jo discovered when she took on a role in 2020 in the episode Fugitive of the Judoon. To be fair, her part was pretty pivotal — a never-before seen incarnation of the Doctor — and she proved to be a big hit in the role, reprising the role in the finale and again in 2021’s Flux series.
Where to Watch: BBC iPlayer
Dawn Steele (Ange Goddard) in Monarch of the Glen
Before Angie, Dawn took the lead in this cosy Highland drama, which was a big Sunday night hit in the noughties. Dawn plays Lexie, a worker in a crumbling highland estate whose will they/won’t they romance with Laird Archie formed the backbone of the first few series. The show also starred Hamish Clarke as Duncan — who appeared several times as Ken Davies in Holby, and reprised the role for the final time in the last episode of the show.
Where to Watch: Prime Video
Or… just watch old episodes of Holby again!
If you want the full Holby experience, a run of episodes from 2015 is currently available on UKTV Play — and you can watch them free of charge. You’re welcome!
Where to Watch: UKTV Play
