Holby City fans saw James Anderson bow out from the show this evening (July 9) as his troubled character Oliver Valentine left the hospital for a fresh start.
The actor filmed his final scenes earlier this year, but show bosses decided not to announce his exit to give viewers an element of surprise.
Digital Spy recently chatted to James to hear why he left Holby and what he thought of Oliver's final storyline.
How are you feeling now that your time on Holby City has come to an end?
"I feel good, although obviously I miss aspects of the job! It's quite a strange one because I finished shooting four months ago now, so I've already come through that weird process you go through when you come out of a show that you've been part of for some time.
"Initially it was a very strange feeling, because I'd been with the programme for a while. All of a sudden I wasn't doing 100-hour weeks anymore, so it was like someone just flipping a switch and I was faced with a hole that Holby had filled for so long. I'd also made a lot of friends there and learned a lot as an actor thanks to Holby, so the immediate after-effect was strange.
"Now that some time has passed, it's nice to just look back and focus on all of the positive aspects of that job."
Was leaving Holby a difficult choice to make?
"It was a very hard decision. As an actor, Holby was a bit of a school for me - it trained me up! Even though I've been to drama school, to have so many days working is something that every actor wants. I was very fortunate with the stories I was given over the years, so to walk away from all of that was very, very hard - especially when I was so happy there.
"However, I had done four and a half years, so I felt that it was time to spread my wings and possibly see what else is out there for me. It was a good time to go, because I've been very lucky with having such a great story for a long time. That allowed me to go out on a real high, although it was actually a bit of a low in terms of the character!"
Your exit from Holby wasn't announced. Has it been difficult not to mention it on Twitter in the past four months?
"Yeah, I have wanted to talk about it, so it's been very difficult! However, I think if you're a fan of the show, it would have been a bit of a shame to know in advance that Oliver was leaving. If you know all of the spoilers before you see the episode, it ruins the surprise, so I felt that it was important to keep it secret."
Was your last day on set emotional?
"It was! The last scene of the episode was actually the last thing I shot, which never happens on these shows, because we don't film in chronological order. I was quite lucky in that sense, although it did put a lot of pressure on me because I wanted it to be right.
"Also, everyone at the BBC who works on Holby was there to watch it, which was really sweet. Everyone applauded after the scene, so I really was moved by the whole thing. It was a really nice send-off."
Did you also have a leaving party?
"Slightly dangerously, it was the night before my last day! I was feeling quite delicate, but again that was really lovely and they made me a video of my best and worst bits, which we all watched together. On these kinds of occasions, you're really reminded of what a special place Holby is. I feel very lucky to have made so many great friends."
Were you pleased with Ollie's exit storyline?
"Yeah, I was. I met with the producers about a year ago to talk about moving on, and we were all very keen to leave Ollie on a positive note. He has really gone through the mill with losing his sister, losing his wife and really falling apart.
"I wanted that to be authentic and I wanted that story to be told in a way that was truthful. That meant there couldn't be a Hollywood ending for the character, because the hard truth of bereavement is not always resolved in an easy way.
"At the same time, I wanted there to be a trace of redemption in there for Ollie, so fans could see that there is a future for this character. I was really glad that it played out that way. When you spend so many years working on one character, you start to care quite a lot about a person that doesn't exist!"
Did you ever get any stick from viewers when Ollie behaved badly?
"I did, but thankfully, I think the Holby viewer is able to distinguish between the characters and the people playing them! Of course Oliver is a fallible character and he makes mistakes - that was one of the things that first drew me to him when I auditioned for the role. However, I think you saw him growing up, both as a human being and a doctor. I really enjoyed that, and it was often his mistakes that made him a human being."
In his final scene, Ollie said that he'd be back! Does it feel like a door has been left open there for you?
"Well, they were very sweet to me and have left the door open. I have had an amazing time at Holby, so I would absolutely never say never to going back. It's been a formative time of my life, I've made great friends and I've learned a lot about the job that I'll hopefully be able to do for some time."
Can you name any personal highlights from your time on the show?
"There really are too many to mention, but for me it really was the working relationships I was able to have with so many great actors, directors and writers. You get so much exposure to the industry by working in an environment like that, so it really was invaluable.
"In terms of story, I was lucky to have a couple of standalone episodes about Oliver, where I was able to leave the studios and go elsewhere. They were really fun to do - it was always a bit like going on a school trip!"
Who will you stay in touch with?
"Everyone, really! I've been back a couple of times to see the cast and crew, which has been lovely. I socialise with a lot of them. Paul Bradley who plays Elliot actually lives around the corner from me, so I see a lot of him locally. That's great, as we spent a lot of time working together."
What have you been up to since leaving?
"I've been working on the last ever Poirot for ITV, which has been a brilliant job. We've been shooting it in the same town where we film Holby, which has been a little bit strange! We've also been shooting scenes in Devon at Agatha Christie's house, and it's been a real joy because it's so different to Holby in so many ways. It's great to put on a different set of clothes and have a different look.
"That's what I'm working on at the moment, and in the future I'd really like to do some theatre, which is what I was doing before I joined Holby. It is a love of mine and I'd really like to go and do some more."
How would you like Ollie to be remembered?
"As an actor, you have to love the character that you play, and my goal was to make him three-dimensional. I'm sure people hated him at times, and other times they saw where he was coming from. If people responded to him, that's really all I could have asked for!"
Last edited by alan45; 10-07-2013 at 05:34.
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