"Tuesday's Child" | |
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Holby City episode | |
Episode no. | Series 7 Episode 38 |
Directed by | Simon Meyers |
Written by | Andrew Holden |
Cinematography by | Richard Dodd |
Original air date | 5 July 2005 |
Running time | 60 minutes |
Guest appearances | |
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"Tuesday's Child" is the 38th episode of the seventh series of the British medical drama television series Holby City. The episode was written by Andrew Holden and directed by Simon Meyers, and premiered on BBC One on 5 July 2005. In "Tuesday's Child", registrar Diane Lloyd (Patricia Potter) travels to Ghana in an attempt to persuade consultant Ric Griffin (Hugh Quarshie) to return to Holby and save Holby City Hospital's general surgery ward. Ric deals with family issues, whilst trying to secure funding for his brother's clinic.
The episode was filmed entirely on location in Ghana as part of the BBC's "Africa Lives" season, exploring African culture for UK audiences. It was the second episode of Holby City filmed outside the UK, following a 2004 episode set in Paris. The serial continued to film one episode abroad annually until 2008, when BBC budget cuts curtailed further foreign filming. The Holby City crew spent five weeks in Elmina, using members of the local community in supporting roles. One crew member contracted malaria during filming, and several more were hospitalised. Both Quarshie and Potter expressed their pride at being part of the episode, with Quarshie deeming it his best work for the series. Adrian Edmondson guest-starred as surgeon Abra Durant, his first appearance in Holby City. He proved so popular in the role that he was asked to return twice more in 2005, and continued to make appearances in the series until December 2008.
The episode was watched by 7.27 million viewers. It was the second most-watched programme on BBC One for the week of broadcast, and the fourth most-watched show across all channels. The episode's premise received some criticism prior to broadcast, however the episode itself was generally well received by critics, and was praised by viewers in a 2006 report on the portrayal of Africa on British television.