Serena Campbell is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, played by Catherine Russell. She first appeared in the fourteenth series episode "Coercion", broadcast on 1 May 2012. Serena is a consultant general surgeon and formerly Holby General Hospital's deputy CEO. She was introduced along with two other regular characters by the show's then executive producer Johnathan Young, who wanted more "truthful and complicated" characters in the series. Serena was originally Frankie Renard, but the name was changed as the producers thought it was "terrible". Russell auditioned for the role and attended a second call back where she was made up in Serena's costume and make-up. After being cast, the actress was given advice about Serena's profession from a female surgeon to help her prepare for the part. Aspects of Russell's personality traits were incorporated into the character of Serena after she was cast.
Serena is portrayed as being candid, professional, manipulative and efficient. She also has an MBA from Harvard University making her a good manager, as well as a good surgeon. Russell commented that Serena did not care what people thought about her. Serena was brought to the hospital by Henrik Hanssen (Guy Henry) to help the place run more efficiently. She immediately clashed with Ric Griffin (Hugh Quarshie). Further exploration of Serena's background began when her mother, Adrienne (Sandra Voe), and daughter, Elinor (Charlotte Hope; Amy McCallum), were introduced, followed by her ex-husband, Edward (Aden Gillett), in 2013. He and Serena briefly reconciled until she learned that he was a secret alcoholic. Serena also faced disappointment when she was passed over for the job of CEO again. In 2014, she had to cope with Adrienne's vascular dementia diagnosis and the worsening of her condition.
Producers created a long-lost sister and nephew for Serena in 2016. Her nephew, Jason Haynes (Jules Robertson), has Asperger syndrome and Serena takes over his care. She was also given a love interest in the form of police officer Robbie Medcalf (Mark Healy). Serena was paired with trauma surgeon Bernie Wolfe (Jemma Redgrave) in late 2016, first professionally and later romantically. Russell took a break in early 2017 to star in a play and returned the following year. After seven years in the role, Russell made the decision to leave Holby City, and her final scenes aired on 21 January 2020. She reprised the role in 2022 for the show's final series, along with Redgrave. Both the character and Russell's portrayal of her have received a positive response from television critics.
Creation and casting On 29 March 2012, it was announced that three new regular characters would make their debuts during Holby City's fourteenth series in May 2012. Actress Catherine Russell joined the cast as Serena Campbell, alongside Chizzy Akudolu as Mo Effanga and Michael Thomson as Jonny Maconie. Serena was introduced as a "charmingly candid and utterly professional" consultant general surgeon. Of the new characters, the show's executive producer. Johnathan Young, commented "These are three very talented actors and I am delighted to welcome them to the cast. There are some dramatic and exciting storylines coming up on Holby City over the next few months and I know our new additions will have an immediate impact." Young later stated that he had wanted to introduce more "truthful and complicated" characters to the series.
When the character of Serena was first created, she was initially called Frankie Renard, a name producers Oliver Kent and Simon Harper said was "terrible". Russell auditioned for the role and admitted that she was nervous when she attended a second recall in front of the producers. She likened the experience to "a movie screen test", as she was made up in Serena's costume and make-up. Russell said Holby City was "a lovely place to work" and believed that she was cast partly because she gets on with the job and fitted in well with the other cast members. To help her prepare for the role, Russell was given advice about Serena's profession from a female surgeon. After Russell was cast, some of her personality traits, including her "quirkiness and subversive naughtiness", were incorporated into the character of Serena.
Russell appears as Serena in a two-part crossover episode with Holby City sister show, Casualty, originally broadcast in March 2019.
Development Characterisation The show's official website describes Serena as being candid, professional and "an unapologetic achiever and fearless architect of change." Serena has an MBA from Harvard University, and Russell commented that in addition to being a good surgeon, Serena is also a good manager. She also told Collins that Serena "occasionally takes efficiency too far". Speaking with Katy Moon of Inside Soap, Russell called Serena "the queen of manipulation" and a big flirt. Serena often uses her flirting skills as a weapon to get what she wants and leads from her head, instead of her heart. Russell hoped Serena would have a love interest, as she was "all for having a snog".
When a What's on TV columnist branded Serena "a bit cold-hearted", Russell defended her explaining that she had a great bedside manner, but she did not care what people thought about her, which made her "so scary". She stated "Serena Campbell does not give a damn whether you like her or not!" In September 2014, Russell told Digital Spy's Daniel Kilkelly that she enjoyed playing Serena as she was such "a multi-dimensional character" with both fun and serious sides to her. Russell also stated that a genuine friendship would develop between Serena and Raf di Lucca (Joe McFadden), and they would enjoy some "drunken evenings" together.
Career at Holby
Serena was recruited by Henrik Hanssen (Guy Henry) to help "run things more efficiently and make the figures work". Serena immediately clashed with her new colleague Ric Griffin (Hugh Quarshie), but Russell stated that they both wanted what was best for their patients. When Serena treated a cancer patient with innovative surgery against Ric's advice, it sparked "a power game" between them. Russell said Serena also wanted to get in the middle of Ric's working relationship with Antoine Malick (Jimmy Akingbola), and get Malick on her side. Russell also said that Ric and Serena would have a "love-hate relationship" and hinted that they could form a romantic connection in the future, as they were both single.
In June 2012, Serena's work and personal lives clashed when her teenage daughter, Elinor (Charlotte Hope), arrived on the wards with her friend Gabby (Georgina Campbell). When Serena confronted her daughter, Elinor revealed that she and Gabby had drunk alcohol and taken ecstasy. Gabby was also suffering from an ectopic pregnancy, which forced Serena and Ric to team up and save her. Serena was "glad of Ric's help" and the pair bonded over parenthood. However, they clashed again when Serena interfered in Ric's treatment of her mother Adrienne (Sandra Voe). After she was informed that Adrienne was not a priority, Serena managed to get her a theatre slot, leaving Ric to threaten to report her. Following Adrienne's surgical procedure, nurse Chantelle Lane (Lauren Drummond) did not perform vital post-op checks and Adrienne suffered a stroke. A "distraught" Serena blamed Chantelle for her mother's condition.
Serena later insisted that the Acute Assessment Unit (AAU) should not refer patients to Keller ward, but when it started to cause problems, she had "a crisis of confidence". Serena later backed down when Chrissie Williams (Tina Hobley) wanted to bring a patient, with a degloving injury to her leg, up to Keller. Chrissie told Serena about the history of the patient and gave her photographs of her injury. Russell stated that Serena could not resist the chance to operate as the area of surgery was her speciality. However, Serena wanted to perform the operation on AAU and asked Chrissie to join her in surgery, as she was impressed by her. Serena also wanted Chrissie to move to Keller and be close by her side, as she realised Chrissie had no problems standing up to authority figures. Serena was later reunited with Imelda Cousins (Tessa Peake-Jones) when she was appointed acting CEO of the hospital. Serena and Imelda previously worked together, but Serena does not immediately recall Imelda, as the last time they met Imelda was overweight. Peake-Jones commented "It takes a little while for Serena to realise their shared memories!"
After acting as CEO following Hanssen's departure, Serena was not pleased when Guy Self (John Michie) was then appointed CEO over her. Serena was unaware of Guy's arrival and when she demanded to know who he was, he informed her in "no uncertain terms" that he was her new boss and she would have to watch herself. When Guy and Serena had to go into theatre together, Michie commented that Guy was threatened by her. In May 2014, Serena suffered a particular stressful day when Guy asked her to file a report early and Adrienne turned up at the hospital. Serena found Adrienne's presence "extremely irritating" and had to show restraint when Adrienne used Serena's laptop and lost the report she was working on. At the same time, Serena was trying to treat a patient, Lennie Keane (Mark Bagnall), who had been admitted with a broken shoulder, but everything went "pear-shaped" with him and his son. At the end of the day, Serena was "shattered" and Russell called it "one of the lowest points you'll ever see with Serena." Serena turned to alcohol to cope with the stress and a What's on TV columnist wondered if it was leading to the beginning of a downward spiral for the character.
Edward's introduction On 6 April 2013, it was announced that actor Aden Gillett had been cast as Serena's ex-husband Edward Campbell, a consultant anaesthetist who takes a locum position at the hospital. Edward used his new job to try and win his ex back. Russell told a What's on TV reporter that Serena and Edward had an acrimonious divorce around 15 years ago due to his infidelity. Serena was surprised to see Edward at the hospital and "totally loses it" with him when he makes a comment about her to Malick, while they are treating a patient. Russell commented, "You never really see that from Serena because she's usually so in control. But she's furious she's been made to look like a silly, weak girl in front of her team." When Edward apologised, Russell believed that it showed he still had feelings for Serena. However, she was convinced that he had not changed at all, as he openly flirted with the nurses.
Serena and Edward later re-kindled their relationship, and planned a trip away with their daughter for Christmas. Russell commented that Edward had wanted to "get his feet back under the table with Serena for years". Serena soon learned that Edward had had a brief relationship with nurse Mary-Claire Carter (Niamh McGrady) and that he was a secret alcoholic. Russell thought Serena was quite grown up about Edward and Mary-Claire's fling, as it happened while they were separated. However, she was shocked to learn that Edward had been drinking at work and almost killed a patient. Serena also felt humiliated because she had stood up for Edward when he blamed Mary-Claire for the incident. Russell told Moon that Serena felt like an "utter idiot" and added "I'd have been in floods of tears if someone had let me down as badly as Edward does Serena."
Adrienne's dementia