Holby City star Rosie Marcel has revealed she was hoping to move to Casualty following news of the show's axe last year.
The BBC medical drama came to an end back in March after 23 years on air, with Rosie's character Jac's death playing out as part of the final episode.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy on the red carpet at the Inside Soap Awards 2022, Rosie said: "When they told me that's what they were going to do [for Jac's exit], I went apeshit! I was not happy at all.
"I probably turned a little bit into Jac at that point in time and was like, 'You can't do that! She's been the most important character in the show for such a long time. If you kill her, you're killing people's hope'.
"So it took me a really, really long time to get on board with it and when I was finally on board with it, I really liked the way they did it. I think it was correct, it paid tribute to all the characters, not just Jac. I think that was a really important thing, that it was a big effort for everyone."
Related: Casualty – what does the future really hold?
Rosie went on to explain how she was hoping to crossover to Casualty before she learned of Jac's tragic fate.
"I was hoping for that! I actually had that conversation with Kate Oates," she said. "I sat down with her and said, 'Okay, the show's ending. I'm thinking maybe Jac should go to Casualty'. She was like, 'No, no, we're going to kill you'.
"I think the only way we can get out of it now is if it's a Bobby Ewing situation and we all wake up after the bombing that Cameron did, it was all a dream and we've all been in comas since then. It's the only way forward!"
Discussing the future of soaps and long-running dramas, Rosie said: "I worry about the direction that a lot of soaps are going in. I feel like it's too dramatised, I think you need to get back to simplicity, back to normal storylines.
"I don't think everybody wants these huge massive storylines, it's just too much. It's too much packed into one episode or a string of episodes. I'd like to see soaps go back to their grassroots."
Reflecting on her win for 'Best Drama Star' at the awards, Rosie added: "It's amazing. I didn't think it would happen again, which is really, really lovely.
"With it being the last year of Holby as well, I really assumed that other shows which are still on and very prevalent would get the award. But an award for me is an award for the show, and that's what I'm really, really proud of."
Read more about Holby City on our dedicated homepage
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