Doctors (2000 TV series)

2000–2014

Doctors was first shown on BBC One on 26 March 2000 with an episode entitled "Letting Go", Mac McGuire (Christopher Timothy) is introduced as the head partner at a general practice, The Riverside Surgery, in the Midlands town of Letherbridge, with his second wife Kate (Maggie Cronin) as Office Manager and a team of young doctors: Dr Steve Rawlings (Mark Frost), Dr Helen Thompson (Corrine Wicks), Dr Rana Mistry (Akbar Kurtha) and Dr Caroline Powers (Jacqueline Leonard). Dr McGuire is shown dealing with an elderly couple, Margaret (Patricia Greene) and her husband Derek Richmond (Brian Cant), who is suffering from the onset of Alzheimer's Disease. After years of marriage, she is reluctant to part with him but is persuaded by 'Mac' that he would be better being cared for in a home.

During the early years, many storylines revolved around the lead character of 'Mac' and his complicated family life. He rekindles his romance with his first wife, Julia Parsons (Diane Keen), embarking on an affair with her, which leads to the departure of his second wife, Kate. Julia replaces Kate as practice manager. 'Mac' remarries Julia. Their adult children appear in a number of storylines, including one where sexual assault is alleged against Liam McGuire (Tim Matthews). Eventually the marriage breaks down again. As 'Mac' prepares to depart it is revealed that he has been having another affair, with his former second wife, Kate, who makes a brief reappearance as part of his exit storyline.

In 2007, when more episodes were shown and there were fewer breaks in transmission, more storylines happened, including: receptionist Donna Parmar's breaking patient confidentiality and her sacking from the Mill (2007), Dr Nick West's car crash and later death (2008) and receptionist Vivien March's rape in 2008, which caused a stir in the media and received recognition at The British Soap Awards in 2009. With the departure of Dr Joe Fenton a new doctor was introduced, Dr Daniel Granger, the nephew of Dr Fenton. One of the first storylines for the character involved his gambling addiction. 2009 also saw the departure of long-standing major characters Ronnie, George and Bracken Woodson.

In the soap's decade anniversary year in 2010, the longest standing character, practice manager Julia Parsons, suffered with Lyme Disease and viewers saw the effect of the disease, such as memory loss and leaving granddaughter Chloe at a zoo. Also, popular characters Michelle Corrigan and Ruth Pearce left the show, with Michelle joining the army and Ruth moved to Boston in the United States. 2010 also saw the return of Dr Joe Fenton, who left in 2008, who was instrumental in persuading Ruth to move to America.

In 2011, Black Country receptionist Karen Hollins fell pregnant and had an abortion, which saw a breakdown in her relationship with husband Rob and their separation. Affected by the split, Imogen started shoplifting and ended up in court to receive a community service order, which didn't please Rob. 2011 also saw the arrival of trainee GPs Kevin Tyler & Freya Wilson and the murder of temporary receptionist Lauren Porter by Dr Harrison Kellor, who tried to frame Kevin and then try to kill Jack Hollins to prevent him from revealing the truth. Dr Elaine Cassidy suffered from guilt because she introduced Harrison to Lauren.

In 2012, Dr Heston Carter embarked on a relationship with health visitor Marina Bonnaire, which saw Heston subjected to domestic abuse. After suffering from the abuse and his break up with Marina, he attacked a burglar and ended up in court. Dr Zara Carmichael and Dr Daniel Granger had a baby, Joe. After meeting new boyfriend Martin and ending up in a car crash, practice manager Julia left to be with him. Kevin's girlfriend Michaela accidentally set fire to her house, causing an explosion. Freya was there to call the fire brigade and saved Michaela but realised that Kevin was still in the house. She then went back to rescue him but was injured in the process and was pronounced dead upon arrival at hospital, leaving a distraught partner, practice nurse Mandy Marquez. Howard Bellamy arrives to replace Julia and Elaine quits due to her stress and anxiety over Harrison. Zara and Daniel decide to separate after she finds out about his affair with Cherry, the practice nurse and wife of Dr Jimmi Clay. Cherry then leaves in shame after the affair is revealed to Jimmi and the rest of the practice. Kevin is contacted by his long-lost half sister, only to realise that she and her brother need him for a bone marrow transplant to save their father's life. New doctor Al Haskey joins the team, replacing Elaine. Daniel struggles with severe post-natal depression after Zara leaves with their son.

2013 introduced doctor Emma Reid and her son, Chris, who became a nurse at The Mill. Subsequently, Emma's husband, Sam, was introduced. Sam, left crippled by a cycling accident several years prior, becomes suicidal and ultimately, with Chris's help, overdoses on painkillers and dies in his sleep. Later, Daniel is reunited with Zara and rekindle their relationship, albeit after much counselling. Head receptionist Mrs Tembe also gains a new love interest – Gordon Clement, the vicar of her parish church. However, he leaves her after it is revealed that she destroyed her ex-husband's life and then fled from Botswana, telling everyone that he was dead, whereas in fact she had been humiliated upon discovering his homosexuality. In August/September 2013, Jas was harassed by an obsessive stalker while Emma and Heston, in need of some excitement, began working for the local press as food critics before inadvertently alienating their colleagues because of it. Al, smitten by Jas, in a misguided attempt to protect her, was discovered in his car watching Jas at home and was reprimanded for inappropriate behaviour. Jas left the surgery in October due to the stresses of her ordeal.

In 2014 Karen was involved in a car accident, in which her husband Rob knocked her over in a car park. She suffered severe head trauma and as a result lost all of her memories from the age of 18 onwards. She spent the following months trying to readjust knowing that she has two adult children and a husband. Meanwhile, Chris Reid becomes dissatisfied with his work and leaves for Australia. Karen falls in love with Rob all over again and the two begin to return to normality. New doctor Niamh Donoghue causes a stir with Al and after much drama they eventually go out on a date. Heston struggles with memory loss and undergoes several tests designed to determine whether he is suffering from early-onset dementia. Mandy decides that it is time to move on from The Mill and is replaced by a feisty and bolshy new nurse, Ayesha Lee, who initially manages to rub everyone up the wrong way.

2015–present

For the series' 3000 episode a special storyline was created centering on a number of the main characters, most specifically Sgt. Rob Hollins. The storyline was called Treehouse and was based on a paedophile ring operating in Letherbridge. We find out a lot about Rob as person, because when he was younger he threw a full bottle of beer over the top of a motorway bridge and it hit a car, seriously injuring the driver. Andy Weston, Rob's childhood friend, took the blame, because Rob was about to enter the police force. This causes Rob to realise that he owes Andy everything. Andy then chose a life of crime which is how he eventually stumbles across Treehouse and leads to him 'informing' against it. Andy is a character who was introduced along with Detective Superintendent Noakes to help break open Treehouse. This storyline also gives DCI Lynette Driver a starring role, as she is the DCI who originally begins investigating the case. At one point Noakes suspends Driver, Hollins and Dr. Clay because he believes they are getting too involved in the case, although all three were reinstated at the end of the storyline.^[8] This storyline also brings us to the temporary departure of DCI Driver who is taking a year off to adopt a child.^[9]

Dr. Reid finds out she is pregnant with Howard's baby. Despite first being reluctant to keep the baby, she makes the decision to keep it and try again with Howard. However, a couple of weeks later, Emma suffers pains. She then finds out she has miscarried and Howard goes for a walk to get them both a cup of coffee. On the way there, Howard collapses and dies suddenly. Following his death, Mrs Tembe takes over temporarily as acting practice manager and Valerie Pitman returns as temporary receptionist.

In January 2016 Anthony Harker starts as the new practice manager and instantly dislikes Mrs Tembe and starts targeting and bullying her. Mrs Tembe is later bullied out of her job and leaves to work at the Kings Green Surgery in February 2016. In March 2016, Niamh Donoghue meets a man called Ben, who has a critically sick little boy called Harry, so she helps Ben take Harry to Switzerland for treatment, despite Al and Harry's doctors refusal. Upon her return to the Mill, Niamh is sacked by Anthony and she returns to Ireland.

Harker's autocratic 'divide and rule' management style then targets Dr Jimmi Clay. Jimmi and Mrs Tembe uncover a plot to take over The Mill, for which Harker is receiving a backhander. Together with Daniel, they confront Harker and dismiss him. Mrs Tembe is offered the position of Practice Manager, which she accepts and returns to The Mill. Valerie becomes a permanent member of staff.

Dr Sid Vere is assigned to the practice as part of his medical training. Although he prefers Heston as his mentor, he is allocated Zara, who preys upon his insecurities and bullies him. Eventually Sid leaves The Mill and launches an action against Zara for bullying in the workplace. The practice settles the dispute by forcing Zara into a humiliating climbdown and apology. Several months later, a newly qualified Sid returns to The Mill and takes up a position as a GP. Sid and Zara finally resolve their differences.

The practice appoints a new midwife, Ruhma Hanif. Ruhma and Heston find each other intolerable but eventually discover that they are attracted to each other. A homeless Ruhma and her teenage children are invited to move in by Heston.