Holby Blue – kicks off on Thursday 20 March at 8pm on BBC One
Introduction
Holby Blue, Tony Jordan's fast-paced police drama, returns for an extended 12-part series featuring some new faces as well as topical, emotive and edgy storylines that follow the everyday heroes from Holby South Station.
The new series kicks off with an intriguing investigation for DI John Keenan (Cal MacAninch) and DS Luke French (Richard Harrington).
A murder at Holby City General initially looks to be quite a simple affair as the hospital's well-respected registrar, Jacqueline Naylor (Rosie Marcel), is accused of stabbing a man whilst on duty and her colleagues aren't falling over themselves to help prove her innocence.
The evidence is stacked against the headstrong doctor and, following a humiliating arrest at the hospital, she is subjected to a series of gruelling questions at Holby South Station in a storyline that spans both dramas – the first time Holby Blue has crossed paths with its sister show.
Series creator Tony Jordan says: "It's a really interesting experiment for us to have such an integrated storyline across both shows. Two of our officers go to the hospital to arrest one of Holby City's most popular characters, and then the Holby South CID give her a good grilling.
"Fans of Holby City will only know what happens to Jac if they watch Holby Blue and they'll see a very different side to her – John Keenan and Luke French manage to unearth a vulnerable and lost soul which is hidden deep beneath Jac's usually rock hard exterior."
Jac is adamant about her innocence yet finds it increasingly difficult to prove, as witness statements detail how she threatened the victim – a man who attacked her last year – and her prints are all over the weapon. But she is insistent that she wasn't the one who stabbed him.
New to this extended series is young and charismatic DCI Scott Vaughan (Oliver Milburn) who is drafted in to replace disgraced DCI Harry Hutchinson – who was arrested at his own retirement party on corruption charges.
John Keenan is relieved to be rescued from the mountain of paperwork he's had to deal with whilst he's been filling in as acting DCI, but his trust in his superiors has been severely bruised and Scott has to prove his worth to his well-worn DI.
Scott is quick to make his presence felt at the station by ingratiating himself with his new colleagues, but one of the team is rather familiar – the previous evening he had been flirting with a beautiful stranger at a police event who, unbeknown to him, was John's wife, Kate (Zoe Lucker).
John's and Kate's relationship soon hits stormy waters when a case involving domestic violence strikes a raw nerve with the brash detective. In order to lay ghosts to rest John visits his father in prison but, far from letting bygones be bygones, John Senior is intent on winning the battle of wills against his headstrong son and keeping him under control. John's patience is tested as his father continues to play games with his emotions just as he did when he was a child.
An unexpected revelation that Kate has secretly contacted his father against his wishes shocks John to the core, and sets a ball in motion that has the most serious of consequences not only for John but for his whole family.
Inspector Jenny Black (Kacey Ainsworth) is still in charge of uniform including PCs Robert Clifton (Kieran O'Brien), Lucy Slater (Elaine Glover), Kelly Cooper (Chloe Howman), Neil Parker (Jimmy Akingbola) and William Jackson (Joe Jacobs). But the tragic death of one of the officers sends shockwaves through the team.
PPR
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