BBC Doctors cast who made it big in Hollywood from Harry Potter star to the Queen actress
BBC Doctors is now well into its 23rd season, with a whopping 165 episodes to date. Fans of the hospital-based drama will know that some of its stars have gone on to find serious fame – but you might not have realised quite how star-studded the cast has been over the years, so we’re taking a look back to see.
Phoebe Waller-Bridge
(Image: BBC)
You only need to take a look at the career trajectory of Phoebe Waller-Bridge since she starred on the show to see the proof in the pudding, reports the Mirror. The 35-year-old Fleabag star, who helped write Killing Eve and the James Bond: No Time to Die, made an appearance on the BBC daytime drama in 2009.
Eddie Redmayne
(Image: BBC)
Doctors has been a springboard for some huge Hollywood stars too; not least Eddie Redmayne, 40, who played starring roles in Les Misérables and The Danish Girl, was the face of Newt Scamander in the Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts film series, and who won an Oscar for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in 2014 film The Theory of Everything.
Most recently, the actor has been turning heads for his part in an “electric” revival of Cabaret the musical at the Playhouse theatre in London, after returning to the stage for the first time in a decade. But before all that, Eddie also starred in Doctors in 2003.
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Claire Foy
(Image: BBC)
Claire Foy’s most recent addition to her wildly successful acting career was her leading role as Margaret Campbell, Duchess of Argyll in the salacious three-part mini-series A Very British Scandal, which was an instant hit with audiences when it aired in late 2021. Since appearing on Doctors in 2008, Claire has also starred in Upstairs Downstairs, Wolf Hall and The Crown.
Emilia Clarke
(Image: BBC)
Clips of Emilia Clarke from Doctors are a far cry from the role for which she is now infamous, as Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones. Clips of the 35-year-old from back in 2009, when she made her TV debut on the daytime medical drama, reveal a fresh-faced schoolgirl who looks nothing like the Dragon Queen.
Other Hollywood stars who have appeared on Doctors include Nicholas Hoult, who had a role in 2001 and went on to join the blockbuster X-Men films as Hank “The Beast” McCoy. Killing Eve ’s Jodie Comer, made an appearance in 2012. And Tracy Brabin appeared in EastEnders, Casualty and Emmerdale after her 2000 turn – then went on to become a Labour MP!
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Executive producer Mike Hobson, on the show since it launched, said: “We have become known for our famous faces with literally hundreds having graced our screens over the past 20 years and we look forward to welcoming many more in the future.”
Diane Keen was a fan favourite playing Julia Parsons for more than a decade until 2012, and returning for the 20th anniversary episode in 2020. She said : “The show has stood the test of time because people keep delivering excellence and all those wonderful guest artists you get to meet and work with make it an absolute joy.”
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