Holby actress quits to have a baby

Holby actress quits to have a baby
Holby actress quits to have a baby (Image credit: BBC)

Holby City star Anna-Louise Plowman is leaving the medical drama to have a baby. The actress, who plays troubled anaesthetist Annalese in the BBC1 show, leaves the series in April in a shocking plot twist. "The baby is due in May," says the actress, who already has one child with husband Toby Stephens, son of legendary actress Maggie Smith. “We're very excited!" In the latest episodes of Holby, Annalese accidentally killed a patient when, moments before the operation, she discovered her surgeon husband Michael had slept with Donna. Michael is desperate to cover up Annalese’s mistake and save his marriage. "I just happened to become pregnant in the middle of filming a really important storyline," says Anna-Louise, who join Holby in 2008. "So, yes Annalese does leave Michael and her job. But there’s a surprise twist and she will be back sometime in the future. It's very open at the moment. "Meanwhile, while I'm at home with the baby, I shall be keeping a close eye on my screen husband Michael to see if he’s behaving!" Get exclusive access to your favourite stars. Subscribe to TV Times magazine

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.