Holby Blue, Tony Jordan’s fast-paced police drama, returns for an extended 12-part series featuring some new faces as well as topical, emotive and edgy storylines that follow the everyday heroes from Holby South Station.

The new series kicks off with an intriguing investigation for DI John Keenan (Cal MacAninch) and DS Luke French (Richard Harrington).

A murder at Holby City General initially looks to be quite a simple affair as the hospital’s well-respected registrar, Jacqueline Naylor (Rosie Marcel), is accused of stabbing a man whilst on duty and her colleagues aren’t falling over themselves to help prove her innocence.

The evidence is stacked against the headstrong doctor and, following a humiliating arrest at the hospital, she is subjected to a series of gruelling questions at Holby South Station in a storyline that spans both dramas – the first time Holby Blue has crossed paths with its sister show.

Series creator Tony Jordan says: “It’s a really interesting experiment for us to have such an integrated storyline across both shows. Two of our officers go to the hospital to arrest one of Holby City’s most popular characters, and then the Holby South CID give her a good grilling.

“Fans of Holby City will only know what happens to Jac if they watch Holby Blue and they’ll see a very different side to her – John Keenan and Luke French manage to unearth a vulnerable and lost soul which is hidden deep beneath Jac’s usually rock hard exterior.”