A writer has called the decision to cancel daytime drama Doctors “disastrous” and said the soap was falling apart as he marked the last day of filming on the show.

The BBC announced in October that the show would end in December this year due to “hyperinflation in drama production”.

The BBC also cited “further investment” in refurbishing the Birmingham production team as behind the decision to end the show.

Doctors launched in 2000 and is set in a GP practice in the Midlands, starring a number of household names including Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke, Ruth Henshall, Fantastic Beasts Where” film stars Eddie Redmayne and Sheridan Smith.

in a long Thread on XPhilip Ralph said the “catastrophic decision” to ax the soap opera had a “personal impact” on him after 19 years as a writer on the show.

Ralph said Doctors has provided “opportunities and experiences” to budding actors, writers and production staff throughout its 24-year history.

“Every year more than 600 guest actors have the same opportunity to work, be seen, regain confidence in their abilities and move on,” he said. “A writing team of up to 60 writers creates original, crazy, touching, authentic (and often surreal!) stories based on the lives of our regular guests.”

He said there was no place for TV workers to find experience entering the industry. “The TV industry is shrinking,” said Ralph, who worked on Holby City, which was axed in 2021.

“Overall production is down significantly. Bectu [the union] A recent survey of its members found that 68% were unemployed. In such dire situations, doctors are the much-needed “dam finger.” Now it’s gone and nothing can replace it.

“The television industry is simply not a sustainable career without opportunity and experience. Now you could probably point me to a million programs and opportunities for new writers, producers and crew to gain early career experience.

“But if there are no other jobs available to them beyond that, and even experienced creatives can’t find work, then you simply don’t have a viable industry.”

He said people from “less affluent and more diverse backgrounds” would be excluded because they would not be able to make the same sacrifices while waiting for work.

“The soap is collapsing,” he added. “Medium-sized dramas are shrinking. This leaves only established writers and creatives finding success, while everyone else is scrounging for scraps in the hope of somehow “winning the lottery” and continuing to watch existing shows, Or – even more magical in the current climate – the idea of ​​getting your own original series commissioned.

“The ‘career ladder’ doesn’t exist anymore. There’s incredible good luck out there – or nothing at all. That’s not the way to build and grow a sustainable industry.”

Ralph’s tweet comes a week after James Hawes, vice-president of the Directors Guild of Great Britain and director of Apple TV+ spy drama Slow Horse, said artificial intelligence could be used to create TV soap operas within the next three to five years.

Hawes told the parliamentary culture, media and sport committee’s inquiry into British film and high-end television that digitally produced scripts would soon be available, particularly for soap operas.

Hawes said: “We held a forum about Doctors at the British Directors Group, a BBC show that had been cancelled. One of the members there started talking about artificial intelligence, which led me to investigate how a show like Doctors could be made entirely of How long will it take to generate AI production.”

The BBC has been contacted for comment.