Dr Hilary has vented his frustration over the fact that some actors - who play medical staff in television shows - are being paid more than actual NHS staff. During his appearance on Tuesday's Good Morning Britain, the 66-year-old medic confessed it was mind-boggling that a man pretending to be a nurse should be paid more than an over-worked real-life one – especially amid the ongoing coronavirus.
WATCH: Dr Hilary slams actors for getting paid more than nurses
"They make such an extraordinary difference every day, even before COVID-19," he told Lorraine Kelly. "I only wish they got paid on par with some of the top actors who play them in medical soaps. It seems extraordinary in our society that actors who play that role are paid five/six times more. Sometimes, not always. It's probably very controversial but there, I've said it."
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Viewers agreed with Dr Hilary, with one tweeting: "Dr Hilary just made a fantastic point about those real nurses get paid a lot less, six times less than actors playing those roles on TV... Casualty, Holby City etc… I would of said exactly the same." Another remarked: "Dr Hilary and Lorraine wouldn't it be nice if those 'actors' that play doctors and nurses in soaps, movies and dramas paid the university fees of someone who wants to be a nurse but cannot afford it...??"
The medic has appeared on GMB daily to cover coronavirus
In 2017, it was revealed that Casualty star Derek Thompson - who plays senior nurse Charlie Fairhead in the soap - is the highest paid BBC actor, earning up to £399,000. The actor, who has been a regular face on the medical drama for three decades, topped the BBC's report bill when it came to the acting category.
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