Time has come to quit `Doctors`: Ian Kelsey

London: "Doctors" star Ian Kelsey has explained his decision to leave the show, admitting that he won't miss the gruelling schedule.

The former 48-year-old "Emmerdale" actor recently announced that he will be bowing out from his role as The Mill's practice manager Howard Bellamy after three years in the part, reported Digital Spy.

"When it's time, it's time. I'm really looking forward to leaving and doing something else. I'll miss a certain amount of people here, like Dido Miles, Ian Midlane and Chris Walker. I've really become close to quite a lot of people.

"But I won't miss the schedule - the schedule is tough! It's the hardest schedule I've ever worked on in 20 years, as it's the fastest I've ever had to work. Even with the preparation when you've finished doing a big day at work - you've then got to sit at home and put 15 scenes in your head for the next day," Kelsey said.

"You get used to it, but you do get to a point where you get frazzled. At any one point you could have nine episodes in your head....I can't say much about how Howard leaves yet, but it's dramatic and it builds to a climax." Kelsey will finish filming in July, but he revealed that he has no idea about who will be cast to take over Howard as practice manager.