A Simple Lie

"A Simple Lie" is a two-part episode of the British medical drama Holby City that served as the 11th and 12th episodes of the show's twenty-first series, and the 966th and 967th episodes overall. The BBC rescheduled the planned broadcasts of the episodes due to a breaking news bulletin about the UK's Brexit negotiations, which aired 90 minutes before part one was due to air. The first part aired on 19 March 2019, and the second on 20 March 2019 on BBC One in the United Kingdom. Both parts were written by Patrick Homes and Julie Edwards directed the first episode and Nimer Rashed the second.

"A Simple Lie – Part One" focuses on the story of Holly Cartwright (Emma Curtis), a patient being aided by a life support system and that doctors have declared brain dead. Holly's parents Ruth Cooper (Marianne Oldham) and Michael Cartwright (Christopher Harper) do not consent to doctors ending her life. The hospital trust take the matter to court, where it is decided that life support must be withdrawn from Holly's care plan. The ordeal is observed outside the hospital by media and a group of right to life protesters. Consultant paediatrician Ange Godard (Dawn Steele) is Holly's main doctor and she becomes a target of the protester's anger and they attack her.

"A Simple Lie – Part Two" focuses on the continuing fall out of Holly's death and the abduction of Theo Fletcher (Stanley Rabbetts). His father Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher (Alex Walkinshaw) searches the hospital believing a protester has taken Theo in retaliation for Holly's death. The show's writers played a red herring as the mystery assailant is revealed to be disgruntled former employee Amira Zafar (Poppy Jhakra).

The episodes drew praise from television critics because of the emotional nature of Holly's storyline. Steele and Walkinshaw's performances were also praised for their emotional acting. The storyline was also compared by Steele and David Brown from the Radio Times to real-life incidents such as the 2017 Charlie Gard case. Both episodes were featured in various "pick of the day" features in television coverage magazines. The second episode also featured the introduction of Jack Ryder as surgeon Evan Crowhurst which generated media interest.