"A Simple Lie – Part One" focuses on the story of Holly Cartwright (Emma Curtis), a patient being aided by a life support system and that doctors have declared brain dead.
Holly's parents Ruth Cooper (Marianne Oldham) and Michael Cartwright (Christopher Harper) do not consent to doctors ending her life.
Consultant paediatrician Ange Godard (Dawn Steele) is Holly's main doctor and she becomes a target of the protester's anger and they attack her.
"A Simple Lie – Part Two" focuses on the continuing fall out of Holly's death and the abduction of Theo Fletcher (Stanley Rabbetts).
His father Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher (Alex Walkinshaw) searches the hospital believing a protester has taken Theo in retaliation for Holly's death.
The show's writers played a red herring as the mystery assailant is revealed to be disgruntled former employee Amira Zafar (Poppy Jhakra).
The storyline was also compared by Steele and David Brown from the Radio Times to real-life incidents such as the 2017 Charlie Gard case.
The second episode also featured the introduction of Jack Ryder as surgeon Evan Crowhurst which generated media interest.
The hospital prepares for trouble on the day of a court ruling over the removal of life support from the child patient Holly Cartwright (Emma Curtis).
Chief executive officer Henrik Hanssen (Guy Henry) receives news that the judge presiding the case has ordered that life support be removed from Holly.
A protester throws tomato soup over Ange, who later convinces Ruth to consent to Holly's life support being removed.
Consultant general surgeon Ric Griffin (Hugh Quarshie) deals with the admission of his granddaughter, Darla Johnstone (Naomi Katiyo).
Soon after Nanette returns to the ward in agony claiming her hand is now in severe pain which causes tension between Donna and Xavier.
When a man enters the Keller ward and startles Chloe, her colleague Dominic Copeland (David Ames) retrains him.
"[1] "A Simple Lie" focuses on the culmination of Holly Cartwright's story, a brain-dead patient being kept alive by a life support system.
[2] The story had been developed over previous episodes, beginning in January 2019 when Holly was admitted to Holby City Hospital and Ange enlisted her daughter Chloe to assist on the case.
[4] "A Simple Lie – Part One" focuses on the day of the court ruling and the trouble caused by right to life protesters that gather outside the hospital to jeer at and threaten staff members.
She also noted that the subsequent press coverage of the case which generated protesters picketing the hospital also occurs in this fictional telling.
The broadcast was cancelled just hours before due to a breaking news bulletin, which was covering the fallout from the UK's Brexit negotiations.
[15] In the following days Kyle O'Sullivan from the Daily Mirror described the move as controversial, noting that many viewers were angry on social media.
[16] Rose Hill from the Daily Mirror named Holly's life support story as "tragic events" and a "heartbreaking decision".
[17] Sasha Morris writing for the Daily Star opined that the dramatic events with the protesters "seemed to foreshadow the brutal ending".
[24] David Brown writing for the Radio Times compared the storyline to both the Charlie Gard and Alfie Evans case, as "vituperative protesters" descend on the hospital.
He also praised the episode's structure stating "to give the show credit, events do play out in a credible and, at times, moving way.
[25] Reviewing "A Simple Lie – Part Two", the Metro's Haasler praised Walkinshaw's performance as "desperate Fletch", adding that he proved what "a marvellous asset he is to the Holby cast."
She branded Xavier and Donna's relationship as "delightful" but believed it "took a bit of a hit" during the episode, due to Nanette's behaviour.
[29] Sam Elliot (Daily Mirror), Michelle Townsend (RSVP Live) and a reporter from Heart all commented on Evan's debut, where they observed Ryder looking "unrecognisable" from his previous roles.