Holby City star Rosie Marcel says she'll support junior doctors if they choose to strike

Claims Holby City actors were to go on strike have been proven false

Chrissie Williams (Tina Hobley) with Sacha Levy (Bob Barrett). Hobley is to leave Holby City after a decade in the BBC hospital drama. (BBC)

Rosie Marcel, star of BBC1 drama Holby City, has stated her support for NHS junior doctors in their ongoing negotiation of contracts.

Depending on the outcome of a ballot closing 18 November, medics will go on strike on three occasions in December.

According to a report in The Mirror, numerous actors and actresses from the show may walk out in solidarity with them, which could disrupt filming of the show.

This has since been proven false, with the BBC stating: "Holby City actors are not threatening strike action and there are no storylines planned about the new contracts for medics."

Marcel who plays surgeon Jac Naylor, reportedly told the tabloid: “We’ll all strike together and take a break. We all support the NHS.”

Rosie Marcel on Holby City (BBC)

The 39-year-old gave birth to a girl in January: “I remember being asked last year if I was having an NHS birth – I was like yes!

“We’re going to have some exhausted doctors and some doctors working Sundays.

“Some of it’s going to be quite ­relevant. It’s not going to be until a few months’ time, I don’t know how relevant it will be then but it probably will be, unfortunately.”

Since that initial report, Marcel has clarified that implications she was going to strike are untrue.

Britain’s leading expert on patient safety, Sir Robert Francis QC, recently condemned both medics and the government for their handling of the real-world situation. He urged doctors not to strike and said patient safety would be put at risk if three planned walkouts next month go ahead.

Demonstrators march down Whitehall during the 'Let's Save the NHS' rally in October (PA)

In a blow to Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Sir Robert also said the Government has also mishandled the talks.

If the proposed contract goes ahead it will remove financial penalties for hospitals that overwork junior doctors, which medics say have been the only effective safeguards against them working unsafe hours.

It will also cut out-of-hours pay for junior doctors working evenings and Saturdays, in exchange for a 11 per cent rise in basic pay. Hunt condemned the strike threat as “extreme action”.

Meanwhile, Holby City will return as normal on Tuesday at 8pm on BBC1.

This article originally implied actors in Holby City would go on strike, and has been amended to state Holby City actor Rosie Marcel supports junior doctors