Holby City returns for Paul Bradley and Patricia Potter - but one of their characters is dead

As part of the BBC1 medical drama's 20th anniversary year the fan favourites have been lured back for some very special storylines, joining ex-cast members Patsy Kensit (Faye Morton) and Luke Roberts (Joseph Byrne) who will be reprising their roles in the autumn. Holby is also set to catch up with the Tan twins, 11 years after the siblings were born as conjoined babies and had life-changing separation surgery.

• Patsy Kensit and Luke Roberts confirm Holby City returns
• This week on Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale: 1 – 5 July 2019

Former head surgeon Elliot is in town visit old friend and protege Jac Naylor (Rosie Marcel) but is hiding an ulterior motive which soon comes to light. "I'm really looking forward to returning to a programme on which I spent many happy years," says Bradley, who left in 2015 after a decade and will appear in five episodes. "Holby has always been a hive of exciting and imaginative stories and this won't be any different. It's going to be a cracker!"

Executive producer of Holby City, and sister show Casualty, Simon Harper comments: "How could we possibly celebrate Holby's 20th anniversary without a stint from one of our most beloved characters? Elliot was the alert and soul of the hospital and the nearest thing Jac had to a father. Her desire to prove herself to him at a particularly fraught time will have huge emotional consequences in our climactic story for 2019.

"The audience have been hungry to have the glorious Paul Bradley back with his Holby family and it's wonderful to finally see it happen."

How is Diane Lloyd being brought back from the dead?

Eyebrows will no doubt be raised among fans over the fact they will be seeing Diane again, which Harper addresses. "It's not often we literally bring someone back from the dead, and no, Diane won't be walking out of the shower and telling her colleagues it was all a decade-long dream! Her return is an homage to a time on the show when we regularly experimented with genre and style, so the audience can expect something very different in a unique and quirky episode where Ric Griffin faces a terrifying choice.

"I'm so pleased Patricia agreed to return in this unusual way. Diane was a huge and popular character and it will be a treat for long-term viewers."

Diane was introduced in 2002 and her tragic exit came five years later, when the consultant surgeon deliberately drove her car into a speeding train.

Speaking about the year-long celebrations of Holby City's double decade of success, BBC Controller of Drama Piers Wenger said in praise of the show: "The series continues to be a much loved BBC drama, with a loyal fan-base who tune in in their millions every Tuesday, 52 weeks a year.

"The past 20 years has seen the series tackle and raise awareness of so many important social and medical issues, from Parkinson’s and dementia to male mental health. We’re extremely proud of the show - Happy Birthday Holby!”