Episode 1102 of the British medical drama television series Holby City is the fiftieth episode of the twenty-third series and the 1102nd episode overall. It is also the final episode after the show was cancelled by the BBC. The episode was written by Joe Ainsworth and directed by David Innes Edwards, and premiered on BBC One on 29 March 2022. The show's production team promised fans they would create an ending "it deserves" and began rewriting stories. The writers were used to scripting the show as a continuing drama but the show's end meant they could create closure for all featured characters. Producers were loath to introduce dramatic stunts or explosions in the finale. They favoured an emotional approach with stories that paid homage to the NHS, which they believed were Holby City's "roots".
The episode features the death of long-featured character Jac Naylor (Rosie Marcel). Earlier episodes had focused on her determination to find a cure for her brain tumour. Jac awakes from surgery and soon dies from a stroke after implementing an advance healthcare directive. Jac's organs are retrieved for transplant procedures and some good comes from her death. Story producer Ben Wadey chose to kill the character off to provide a definitive end for the show. He wanted to ensure viewers were not left feeling the show was left with "unfinished business". Marcel was initially reluctant to portray the story because she wanted Jac to live on. In addition the episode focuses on the remaining regular characters as their stories conclude. Writers were challenged with the task of giving each character a suitable ending either before or during Episode 1102. The episode also features the return of five former characters who make cameo appearances. The show's end credits featured a slow version of the iconic theme tune and a montage of former cast members.
The episode received positive reviews for its emotional scenes and writing. Various critics praised the episode for paying tribute to the NHS. Judith Woods from The Daily Telegraph branded it a "beautifully-judged finale". Hannah Verdier from The Guardian praised the "dignified" decision to end the show "gracefully" instead of relying on sensational stunts. Jessica Sansome of Manchester Evening News believed that the episode was effective in promoting organ donation.
Plot Jason Haynes (Jules Robertson) visits Jac Naylor (Rosie Marcel) and Alexandra 'Lexy' Dunblane (Jenny Howe) on the Darwin ward. Jac has awoken from failed surgery and tells Lexy that she does not want last rites. Nicky McKendrick (Belinda Owusu) and Eli Ebrahimi (Davood Ghadami) carry out successful heart surgery on a patient. Henrik Hanssen (Guy Henry), Donna Jackson (Jaye Jacobs) and Jeong-Soo Han (Chan Woo Lim) work on Keller ward where they care for Lexy, who is in need of a kidney and heart transplant.
Dominic Copeland (David Ames), Ange Godard (Dawn Steele), Josh Hudson (Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge), Madge Britton (Clare Burt), Kylie Maddon (Amy Murphy) and Louis McGerry (Tyler Luke Cunningham) work the shift on AAU ward as they seek a diagnosis for patient Ken Davies (Hamish Clarke). Dominic and Ange argue over Josh's bulimia secret but are forced to work together in an operating theatre to save Ken's life. Ange soon makes peace with Dominic and discusses her future with Josh.
With Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher (Alex Walkinshaw) as her witness, Jac makes an advance directive to request no medical intervention in the event of further complications. Elliot Hope (Paul Bradley) wants to attempt another operation on a reluctant Jac. Max McGerry (Jo Martin) informs Sacha Levy (Bob Barrett) that Jac is nearing the end of her life. When Sacha visits Jac, she suffers a stroke and they prepare to intervene. Fletch interrupts them and makes her advance directive known and they are forced to let her die. They keep a brain-dead Jac's body on a ventilator and prepare her for an organ retrieval procedure. Jac is surrounded by her close friends and colleagues as they reminisce, before taking her body into surgery. Mo Effanga (Chizzy Akudolu) arrives at the hospital to carry out Lexy's surgery but is shocked to learn of Jac's death. Lexy receives Jac's heart and after a successful procedure she is transferred to a recovery ward.
Jac provides a voice over as the final scenes roll. Joseph Byrne (Luke Roberts), Ric Griffin (Hugh Quarshie) Serena Campbell (Catherine Russell) and Bernie Wolfe (Jemma Redgrave) all receive Jac's organs at various locations to perform transplant procedures. Henrik travels to Leeds reunited with his love interest Russell "Russ" Faber (Simon Slater). All medical staff on the three main wards are notified about a major incident and they rush outside to attend the emergency; despite not being given time to adjust to their grief.
Production Background On 2 June 2021, it was announced that the BBC had decided to cancel Holby City at the end of its twenty-third series. It was confirmed that the final episode would be broadcast in March 2022. A statement issued via the show's social media accounts detailed that the BBC had decided to end the show to create more diverse productions across the United Kingdom. The statement explained it was "to better reflect, represent and serve all parts of the country." The BBC added their intention to "reshape" their "drama slate" without Holby City on their broadcasting schedule. Director of BBC Drama Piers Wenger explained that it was "an incredibly difficult decision that took time to come to." Despite this, the BBC made a commitment to work with the Holby City production team to ensure that the show ended "on a high". The production team also promised that the show would receive the "send-off it deserves".
Fans of the show launched a Change.org petition to save Holby City, with it reaching over 30,000 signatures in the immediate weeks following the cancellation, and 43,700 by December 2021. The BBC decided to end the show regardless of the petition. It was confirmed on 2 March 2022 that the final episode would premiere on 29 March 2022.
Development The show's writing team were accustomed to scripting continuing drama but not a series with a clear ending. They changed their writing strategy when the BBC axed Holby City. This allowed them to create suitable endings to each character's story and they chose to conclude the stories of some of the characters in Episode 1102. The story team decided early on that the finale would not feature stunts and explosions. They wanted to end the show on its core values shared with the NHS. This theme united the writers who all had a "common theme" which they used to script the finale. Story producer Ben Wadey stated that theme was "to show the resilience in characters who work there all of the time, they give their lives to the profession." Once completed, the show's production were initially secretive regarding details of the episode. In November 2021, Rosie Marcel who plays Jac Naylor told Laura-Jayne Tyler from Inside Soap that the final episode would be "spectacular" and "amazing". She also revealed that multiple former cast members would return for the episode. Marcel described the ending of "Episode 1102" as "a massive nod to the NHS and to everyone making this show." David Ames (Dominic Copeland) added that "it's going to be really gorgeous. We know that the audience are going to love it as well."
The episode features the death of Jac and this was planned well in advance. Marcel's longevity made Jac one of the show's long-featured characters. Producers informed Marcel, who was upset with their decision and she fought with them. Marcel revealed that she became "exhausted" trying to reverse their decision and they eventually discussed Jac's death in more depth. She "begrudgingly" accepted her character's demise and decided to concentrate on making her death "the best it could possibly be". The episode is heavily centric to Jac's demise. Marcel felt that it was a compliment from the production team but worried other characters would be side-lined. However, during the episode writers created moments for every character "to shine". Inside Soap's Tyler revealed that the episode would focus on the immediate aftermath of Jac's failed surgery to remove a terminal brain tumour. She added that viewers would learn how bold Holby City is in regards to the mortality of their most popular character. The episode also features former character Elliot Hope (Paul Bradley), who had returned to the series in prior episodes to perform Jac's surgery.
Holby City's story producer Ben Wadey did not want to leave viewers feeling "frustration" that the show had "unfinished business". He believed that the finality of the show ending created grief and that it was the end of an era. He wanted to ensure this was personified in the story and believed Jac was the right character to end the show with. Jac was often portrayed as determined to survive her brain tumour and find a cure. Wadey explained that in reality people do not survive and the NHS do not always cure everyone. He wanted the show to end realistically and go back to its "roots for the finale". He believed that Jac's condition was fragile and to conjure up a miracle cure would have been misleading.
The episode did not just revolve around Jac's death as other regular character's stories were given a conclusion. Marcel explained "it's a nod to everyone who worked on the show." Dawn Steele who plays Ange Godard revealed that her character gains closure in the final episode. Ange shares her final scene on the AAU ward with her fiancée Josh Hudson (Trieve Blackwood-Cambridge) and her son Dominic, where they are all at peace with one another. Steele said it was "full of emotion" and "it really finishes all our story off really nicely, but with a kind of forward thinking into the future, on they go, it's not fully conclusive." Steele told Victoria Wilson from TVTimes that "our final story is emotional. It ties things up and does Ange and Dom's story justice." Another character whose story is given a full conclusion in the episode is Henrik Hanssen (Guy Henry). He teased "a twinkle of happiness" for the character, referring to Henrik going off to be with his love interest Russell "Russ" Faber (Simon Slater). Wadey said that writers chose to have the character finally declare his love for someone in the finale. He added that for Henrik it was the "biggest thing he could ever do in his life." In addition, writers created other smaller stories such as Nicky McKendrick (Belinda Owusu) performing surgery on a beating heart and an ending for the recurring character Alexandra 'Lexy' Dunblane (Jenny Howe). Bob Barrett who plays Sacha Levy added, "it's an incredible and fitting ending."
Producers decided to bring back various characters for the episode, which included Joseph Byrne (Luke Roberts), Mo Effanga (Chizzy Akudolu), Ric Griffin (Hugh Quarshie) Serena Campbell (Catherine Russell) and Bernie Wolfe (Jemma Redgrave). The characters return in scenes depicting organ transplant procedures using Jac's organs. Wadey said that the scenes were used to give viewers "snippets of joy" from Jac's death. He added that having various former cast members in the scenes were to show "that life goes on". It was Marcel's request that Joseph returned for the scenes because she wanted closure for the character's relationship. Marcel said that she "had to fight" for Joseph to collect Jac's organ and transplant it. Producers informed Marcel that Joseph had left his career in surgery to become a general practitioner, but Marcel remained insistent.