Doctors – end of an era

 

On 14th November 2024, the final episode of the continuing drama, Doctors, was transmitted. Doctors began it’s life at BBC Pebble Mill, and moved, when the building was demolished, to a new site in Selly Oak, the ‘BBC Drama Village’ at the University of Birmingham.

Here are the comments from a few of people who worked on it, or had affection for it, taken from the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Clive Payne: I’ll miss being in it as a supporting artist for 12 years plus. It’s a unique family unit and a great joy to be a tiny part of.

Janet Collins: Lovely to have two characters, Bev Dartnall & Carson Black in the last programme. A nice tribute to former producers.

Andy Bentley: I remember when it started and the last episode at Pebble Mill when they did the explosion. A lot of people cut there teeth on this, Emilia Clarke had her first TV appearance on it.

Julie Hill: Why did they kill off Doctors? I just cant believe the appalling decisions that continue to be made by the BBC going back to when they flogged off Pebble Mill without even a backward glance.

Caroline Feldon: You might be interested to know that in my current role as a psychotherapist I advised on some of the scripts for Jimmi. So I was involved from a distance. Sad to see it go.

Sue Robinson: I caught the last episode today by accident. My ears pricked up when I heard one of the characters was called Bev Dartnall. What a lovely tribute. I then watched the documentary afterwards and it was lovely to see both Dave Farline and Andy Payne on camera in the early days of Doctors. Fabulously talented people taken way too early. Well done Doctors for a great legacy and a reminder of a fantastic place I and many others had the privilege to work in.

James Patterson: To be fair, a great and underrated series. When it took over Studio A and other areas in the Crush bar it seemed like the Pebble Mill era had come to an end, but Doctors moved on to the Drama Village and thrived. Hope everyone is well and can find work.

Luisa Prosser: Having worked as a floor assistant at Pebble Mill, I was so excited to be in an episode and to know most of the crew. I’ll always remember Sally from make up, saying ‘Well, this is weird!’ Sad to see this programme come to an end.

Anne-Marie Palmer: When we finished derigging the Drama Village and getting rid of everything it felt like the final demise of Pebble Mill.

It was all so sad, it stated a type of bereavement.
When I watched yesterday I couldn’t stop crying, it was probably also the loss of Pebble Mill 20 years ago coming out as well, as this didn’t really come to an end we just moved premises.
The freelance world is a rocky road to walk (particularly currently) and some of my Doctors colleagues have taken the decision to retire, I have managed to get occasional work and every job I’ve been on my wider Doctors family has been there and we’ve all carried our Doctors (and Pebble Mill) ethics with us of making it a friendly atmosphere to work in. Everyone is important, everyone counts, we work better together.

Tribute to Bev Dartnall from Christine Wheeldon

“My dear school friend, Beverley, sadly lost her fight with cancer 5 years ago. She was my best friend in the 6th form and we spent many fun and happy hours together in the instrumental ensemble for the school plays and music productions, her on the clarinet and me on the flute. R.I.P. Bev xx”
(We were 16 on this photo)

Bev worked at Pebble Mill for many years, most of it in Drama. Before she left the BBC she was the series producer of the continuing drama, Doctors.

 

Maxine Henry

Maxine Henry

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maxine Henry, Costume Designer, passed away on 8th August 2018. Although much of her work was at ATV and Central, she did work for many years at Pebble Mill on various shows and is much missed by us all in “Doctors” costume.

(Thanks to Anne-Marie Palmer for sharing the photo and this sad news.)

Doctors – Faith’s Wedding 2002

Photo by John Waldron, no reproduction without permission

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John Waldron took this photo in September 2002 of nurse Faith (played by Eva Fountaine), marrying fireman, Jerry, in the continuing drama series, Doctors.

The episode was edited by Neil Roberts, and the wedding dress was made by Anne-Marie Palmer.

Included in the photo are Lawrence Penry Jones, Corrine Wicks, Eva Fountaine, Arion Bakare, Maggie Cronin and Natalie Robb.

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Doctors’ stills

Nurse Faith marrying fireman Jerry

Doctor Mark Eliot played by Tom Butcher, with receptionist Carolina, played by Ella Kay

Doctor Jude Carlyle, played by Natalie Robb

Doctor Brendan ‘Mac’ McGuire, played by Christopher Timothy, with doctor Marc Eliot, played by Tom Butcher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

These stills are from the continuing drama series, Doctors. It’s from series 4, which featured Christopher Timothy, who played Brendon (Mac) McGuire. Christopher Timothy went on to direct on the series.

Thanks to Ian Collins for making the stills available.

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