The BBC has announced two new drama shows that are set to replace Doctors.
The soap was controversially axed in 2023, with the BBC citing financing issues at the time. Its final episode aired last November, almost 25 years after it premiered back in March 2000.
It has now been confirmed that two new shows will be produced from Doctors' West Midlands hub - The Detection Club and The Hairdresser Mysteries.
The former follows a society of famous crime writers, including Agatha Christie, Dorothy L Sayers and GK Chesterton, as they join forces to solve murders in 1930s London.
Meanwhile, The Hairdresser Mysteries focuses on a high-end hairdresser called Lily Petal (played by Sally Phillips), who decides to leave the competitive city scene to buy a small village salon.
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Sharing the news, the broadcaster said the upcoming shows "demonstrate the BBC’s commitment to re-investing all of the Doctors spend into new scripted programming in the West Midlands".
"The West Midlands has so much home-grown talent in the drama sector, both on and off screen," said the commissioning editor for BBC Daytime, Helen Munson.
"Commissioning The Detection Club and The Hairdresser Mysteries will offer more jobs to the region and showcase what the area has to offer."
She added: "I’m excited to be working on these mysterious crime dramas which will be enjoyed by all ages of audiences at any time of the day."
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Following the axing of Doctors, fans started a petition to try and save the series, while some unions expressed concern over the cancellation.
Explaining its decision at the time, the BBC said: "With a flat licence-fee, the BBC's funding challenges mean we have to make tough choices in order to deliver greater value to audiences.
"We remain fully committed to the West Midlands and all of the funding for Doctors will be reinvested into new programming in the region."
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
