| Donna Jackson | |
|---|---|
| Holby City and Casualty character | |
 Jaye Jacobs as Donna Jackson | |
| First appearance |
|
| Last appearance |
|
| Created by | Mal Young |
| Portrayed by | Jaye Jacobs |
| Spinoff(s) | Casualty@Holby City (2004, 2005) |
| Duration | 2004–2011, 2017–2023 |
| In-universe information | |
| Occupation |
|
| Family | Shirley Jackson (grandmother) Derek Newman (father) |
| Spouse | Jared Baptiste (ex-husband) |
| Significant other | Kieran Callaghan |
| Children | Mia Barron (adoptive) Amber Baptiste |
Donna Jackson is a fictional character from BBC medical dramas Holby City and Casualty, played by actress Jaye Jacobs. Donna entered Holby City in its sixth series as a staff nurse, characterised as a wild-child with a chaotic personal life. During her tenure, she grew to take her work more seriously, becoming a ward sister and accepting more personal responsibilities by adopting her half-niece Mia (Jada Wallace-Mitchell). A tart with a heart character, Donna had many romantic liaisons with her colleagues, including a one-night stand with midwife Mickie Hendrie (Kelly Adams). She ultimately fell in love with agency nurse Kieran Callaghan (Barry Sloane), and departed to be with him after he was injured in Afghanistan as part of the Territorial Army.
Jacobs' casting was chronicled in the documentary Making It at Holby. She made appearances as Donna in both Holby City's sister show Casualty, and two crossover editions of the programmes, broadcast as Casualty@Holby City. After seven years, Jacobs resigned from Holby City in order to pursue new projects; Donna departs in the drama's thirteenth series. The character's reintroduction was announced in February 2017 and she returns in the nineteenth series. Jacobs was included in the final cast of Holby City when it concluded in 2022. She reprised the role a year later in Casualty for a five-month stint.
Donna's relationship with her terminally ill father Derek (Clarke Peters) attracted praise from critics. Her affair with married consultant Michael Spence (Hari Dhillon) proved less popular, with several critics opining that Donna deserved better treatment. She was named "Best Emerging Talent" at the 2005 Screen Nation Awards for her portrayal of Donna, and was nominated for two further awards while part of the series.