BBC viewers fear soap is heading for the ‘chop’ as it’s pulled off air for months | TV & Radio | Showbiz & TV

Fans of the medical soap are worried the popular drama could be coming to an end after the BBC pulled it from the TV schedule.

Announcing the break on social media this week, the show’s official Twitter wrote: “Doctors will be off air and return to your screens on Monday, September 4. In the meantime, Catch up on BBC iPlayer.”

The show, which debuted 23 years ago in 2000, aired its final episode of season 24 on Thursday afternoon.

Following the news of the series coming to an end, fans were left unimpressed as they fumed at the lengthy break.

User @Lorrain11532401 fumed: “Can’t believe there’s now a break until September! Why? No other soap does this!”

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@Kateandhergirls added: “This is madness!! It’s getting earlier each year? You always used to break in July when Wimbledon started. Why so early? I fear this may be headed for the chop. First 4-day run instead of 5, now ending earlier. Come on @BBCOne sort it out [sic] #BBCDoctors”

@Feathersareus commented: “I don’t know why it has to have a holiday, other soaps don’t.”

@LargesseRer said: “10 weeks!! Crazy length of a break.”

@Shoequeen1971 fumed: “Why does this have to happen? I get the stop for the tennis but goodness, start back in August! It’s bad enough it’s 4 days still!” (sic)

However, it looks as though not all fans were disgruntled by the show’s long absence.

Defending the break, @CrochetTrooper tweeted: “Maybe the actors have other commitments like their family or stage shows, or maybe the writers need this time to catch up?

“I think we forget at times how much work behind the scenes goes into these programmes and other soaps have larger teams, maybe this one is smaller?”

Although this isn’t the first time Doctors has been pulled from the TV schedule, it usually takes a break over the summer period.

In the series finale, fans saw Claudia Briant (Kiza Deen) get caught up in a family feud while on her first shift with Rob Hollins (Chris Walker).

Whereas Dr Emma Reid ( Dido Miles) and Al Haskey (Ian Midlane) found themselves getting on the wrong side of Rosie Colton (Janice Connolly).

The series is set in the fictional West Midlands’ town of Letherbridge and follows a team of NHS staff at a doctor’s surgery and a university campus surgery.

Doctors is still available to watch on BBC iPlayer.