Camilla Arfwedson on Zosia's exit: 'Producers want to keep Zollie alive!'

Holby City Zosia March
(Image credit: BBC/Kieron McCarron)

Sob! After marrying her sweetheart Oliver Valentine, Holby City's Zosia March decided to bid farewell to the hospital for an exciting opportunity in America. Camilla Arfwedson reveals why it was time to hang up the stethoscope...

Holby City certainly took us on a rollercoaster ride on Tuesday night. Newly married and with her dad Guy Self recovering in hospital after trying to commit suicide, Dr Zosia March then dramatically decided to leave Holby - and new husband Ollie Valentine - for a golden opportunity in the States.

Here, Camilla Arfwedson tells us about Zosia's departure - and why this isn't the end of 'Zollie'...

What's on TV: On Tuesday night’s Holby City, we saw a newlywed Zosia decide to say farewell to Holby to take up a placement at Yale Medical School in America. Are you pleased with how the storyline wraps up?

Camilla Arfwedson: "Yes, I think they tied it up brilliantly with lots of stuff going on. I was honoured to be going out on that high and for them to put so much love and attention into these scripts, with Guy’s mental health issues and Zosia’s relationship with both her dad and Ollie. And of course it was nice to have this big wedding in the lead up to it all. It was very full on and quite exhausting filming it all – but I’d much rather that than to leave in a taxi."

WOTV: Do you think Zosia made the right decision leaving for Yale?

Camilla Arfwedson: "Yes! Although I do have a slight issue with the fact that it’s the two men in Zosia’s life – Guy and Ollie – who essentially make the decision for her. It felt more like her dad and her new husband had told her to go; I’d like it if she’d just decided to go."

Zosia found herself torn between staying at Holby with Ollie - or following her dreams to work in America

WOTV: Holby fans have really taken ‘Zollie’ to their hearts – what do you think they’ll make of how Zosia leaves?

CA: “Well, I think it’s very clever that they’ve said Zosia’s only going for six months. I don’t know if that’s true or not. It would be arrogant for me to say: ‘They’ll be devastated’ but hopefully they will be. Hopefully they care enough and hopefully it will move them and they will be a bit heartbroken because obviously they’ve invested a lot of their time and energy into this relationship.

“The fans have supported Zosia through her bipolar and all her sadness and misery, then saw her get together with Ollie and finally being settled, grounded and happy. So, in that way, it’s sad to see the relationship not reach its full potential. So the marriage might be quite anti-climatic for them and then, on top of that, Zosia then vanishing might be sad for them.”

WOTV: Fans might take comfort in the fact that although they’re going to be in different parts of the world, ‘Zollie’ are still together?

CA: “Well, if that’s how they take it, that’ll be brilliant. I think the producers want people to think that this is a long-lasting love affair, which is never going to end. I think they can see that Ollie and Zosia have a really good thing and they can’t give up on it. I know that they want to keep ‘Zollie’ alive and I’m thrilled that they want to do that.”

WOTV: So there IS a future for Ollie and Zosia?

CA: “Well, yes, Zosia leaves but they ARE still married… I guess the producers will have to figure out whether we’re still married or whether we separate. But they might bring Zosia back at some point from Yale, so there’s hope that Ollie and Zosia may be together at some point in the future. And, obviously, the fact it’s been left open for me to come back is lovely. I may well come back in six months… or maybe two years. Who knows? I think there are so many options with Zosia; she’s a very interesting, modern woman who doesn’t play by the rules.”

holby city ollie zosia wedding

'Zollie' fans were thrilled last week when the couple tied the knot... in dramatic fashion

WOTV: So why is now the right time for you to leave Holby?

CA: “Well, I’ve done four years on the show, it’s been great. I feel like I’ve been stretched and challenged as much as I can so far. It’s quite difficult to come back from such an amazing storyline like the bipolar storyline and I don’t want to repeat that storyline. I’d quite like to take a break and potentially come back a slightly older Zosia; someone who’s got different priorities, or has different relationships with different people and I’d like to just refresh her a little bit. It’s been a great time but I think three or four years on a show like that is an amazing amount on time to be on it, I’ve been trained brilliantly and I’ve met some amazing people, I’m just itching to do other things and I’ve got the urge to be creative in other ways.”

WOTV: What will you miss about your time on Holby?

CA: “Everything really. You have the structure, you have the social life and everyone’s so fun, great and so easy to work with. I’m very lucky with the people I’ve been partnered with, with James Anderson, John Michie, David Ames and Rosie Marcel; they’re all excellent actors and we’ve all become really close. So that’s sad. Also, you’re going back into the big wide world and becoming an island again and auditioning again and waiting for the phone to ring. You don’t have that stress on Holby because everything’s organised for you. But I quite like the adrenaline and excitement of working on new characters and getting new scripts in. But I’ll miss the camaraderie and, of course, Zosia – I do love her. She’s been amazing to play and we’ve been through a lot together."

Zosia has had some tough times at Holby - particularly when she was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder

WOTV: What’s been the standout moment for you in all your time at Holby?

CA: "When I was doing all the mental health stuff and when Zosia was having a really hard time; just seeing how the fans responded to that was amazing. They really were affected by it. To begin with Zosia was quite dark and serious and probably seems quite unhappy and then, as she started to unravel, you started to understand her a bit more and you felt more sorry for her.

"Then you saw the lighter side of Zosia when she was with her friends such as Dom and Arthur; I loved that friendship when you could see that side of her but also when you saw her vulnerabilities and when you saw her having a lovely time with her nearest and dearest – that’s what I will miss about Zosia. I love the way she says it how it is, there’s no fuss and no frills. She doesn’t suffer fools and she gets quite impatient with people… there’s maybe a bit of me coming into that. Zosia was always polite though and not like Jac. NO ONE is like Jac!"

WOTV: So what’s next for you?

"I’ve just done a film, playing the young Charlotte Rampling in a movie, so I’ve been filming that up in Yorkshire. And I’ve also filmed a Midsomer Murders – and I can confirm that I'm the one who gets murdered! Then I guess I’ll wait and see what happens next."

Holby City continues on Tuesdays at 8pm on BBC1.

Victoria Wilson
Feature Writer for What’s on TV, TV Times, TV & Satellite Week and WhatToWatch.com

With over 20 years’ experience writing about TV and film, Vicky currently writes features for What’s on TV, TV Times, TV & Satellite Week magazines plus news and watching guides for WhatToWatch.com, a job which involves chatting to a whole host of famous faces. Our Vicky LOVES light entertainment, with Strictly Come Dancing, Britain’s Got Talent and The Voice UK among her fave shows. Basically, if it’s got a shiny floor, she’s all over it! When she’s not watching TV, you might find Vicky in therapy… retail therapy that is!