Holby City (series 1) NHS." His only concern about the series was its continuation of patient storylines from "Casualty", writing: "if that happens too often, the new programme will soon lose its freshness and sparkle." "The Mirror" Charlie Catchpole wrote that he was "sick of the sensitive, hand–wringing, non–judgmental do–gooders who mope around the A&E department in "Casualty"", praising in comparison the "pushy, ambitious, cynical and generally thoroughly unpleasant surgeons" in "Holby City". Sam Wollaston of "The Guardian" received the series positively, writing: ""Holby City" has everything you want from a hospital drama: good–looking staff, a bit of love interest, a dishy doc, the
Holby City is limited to "accident of the week" storylines about patients entering hospital, "Holby City" allowed the possibility of storylines about long-term care, rather than immediate life and death decisions. The series was commissioned by BBC One Controller Peter Salmon, and began airing on BBC One on 12 January 1999. Series producer Richard Stokes believes that the series' popularity stems from the fact the hospital setting presents numerous plotline opportunities, explaining: "You have licence to create life-and-death situations every week, something you cannot do in any other set piece. The interaction of the characters can be sexy and social issues also