Dan Hamilton is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, played by actor Adam Astill.

His storylines have developed through a relationship with ward sister Chrissie Williams (Tina Hobley) and a rivalry with registrar Antoine Malick (Jimmy Akingbola), whom he later kisses.

The latter has attracted a mixed reaction from critics of the series, who felt it was a repetition of gay story-lines featuring in other serial dramas.

Dan is introduced a few days into his new role as a consultant and is an old friend of registrar Greg Douglas (Edward MacLiam).

[1] He starts mentoring ward sister Chrissie Williams (Tina Hobley), during her nurse consultant training.

[4] Dan decides to put his surgeon skills to the test when consultant Ric Griffin (Hugh Quarshie) challenges him to complete his list of operations first.

[6] Registrar Antoine Malick (Jimmy Akingbola) begins a rivalry with Dan after he undermines him over the treatment of a patient.

Characters such as Dan, Malick and cardiothoracic surgeon Sahira Shah (Laila Rouass) were introduced to fill the gap left by the departures.

[12] Executive producer Belinda Campbell said she was certain Dan would "bring a spark to Holby General in more ways than one."

[13] Astill had wanted a role in the show for some time prior to his casting, because he was impressed with the standard of material the programme produces.

[16] Seemingly self-assured, Orthopod Dan Hamilton gets his kicks from fixing bones and rebuilding people, scoffing at those who consider his job basic medical carpentry.

Dan is an obsessive rugby player who enjoyed a traditional middle class upbringing and in turn expects the house, the wife and the career.

[17] Prior to his arrival Astill described him a "charming" man who has the ability "to put his foot in his mouth."

[1] Dan was first described to Astill as a "sporty, rugby-playing ladies' man", who likes to be perceived as confident, but in reality is not.

However, Astill opined that Dan has a "heart of gold" – who will often say the wrong thing because he has trouble expressing himself emotionally.

In his field of orthopaedic surgery, Dan has a tendency to treat the problem rather than attend to the patient's emotional needs.

[13] Dan has also proven his worth as a mentor during Chrissie's consultant training and gives his full concentration to the task in hand.

"[1] During an interview with Digital Spy, Astill said he believed that Dan is the type of man who would stay faithful in a relationship.

Astill predicted that Holby City fans would take a disliking to Dan, after he ruins any chance of reconciliation between Chrissie and Sacha.

[21] Series producer Craig-Brown revealed the "biggest challenge" was to distinguish the storyline from other sexuality plots featured in other dramas.

Astill and Akingbola filmed "technical" fight scenes which followed, which resulted in Dan having noticeable injuries to his face.

[27] Prior to Dan's first kiss with Malick, Jane Simon of The Mirror stated that there was "a rather massive surprise in store and even if you've seen it coming a mile off, it's got OMG stamped all over it.

"[28] Inside Soap's Katy Moon similarly wrote there was "one hell of a shock" coming up, which was "certainly worth waiting for".

[29] In reference to Dan's clash with Malick, Simon opined, "You can practically hear their antlers locking, as the tension between them is unbearable.

"[28] Simon's Mirror colleague Jim Shelley described the kiss as "Not exactly Oliver Reed & Alan Bates", in reference to a homoerotic fight scene in the film Women in Love.

[30] Though What's on TV recommended the episode, the accompanying review criticised the "seriously irritating banter between the pair," and ensuing "macho posturing between the orthopaedic surgeon and mouthy Malick.

"[31] Some viewers complained about the kiss to the BBC discussion programme Points of View, dismayed that Holby City was "following the trend" of depicting gay relationships.

[32][33] Though the number of complaints were not publicised[34] – The BBC defended the storyline explaining that, "Holby City aims to reflect real life in the setting of a medical drama and this means telling stories about characters from many different backgrounds, faiths, religions and sexualities.

"[21] Frances Ryan of The Guardian responded, "Whether said complainers thought that the onscreen depiction of straight people or indeed the interaction of humans generally was similarly a compliance to fantastical trends remains unseen".

He opined that Astill and Akingbola had chemistry, that the characters' scenes were "intense and combustible," and that the fight and following kiss were terrifically acting, due to the amount of "passion and heat and rage".