Maureen "Mo" Effanga[1] is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, played by actress Chizzy Akudolu.

Mo's storylines often developed through her close friendship with nurse and transplant co-ordinator Jonny Maconie (Michael Thomson).

Further exploration of the character's backstory began when her younger sister, Adele Effanga (Petra Letang), was introduced in 2014, followed by the rest of their family the following year.

Akudolu opted to leave her role in 2016 and the character departed in the nineteenth series episode "For the Love of Maureen", broadcast on 13 June 2017.

[11] Akudolu also said that Mo had some "cool pieces" in her wardrobe, including a Ted Baker feather boa and a Mary Portas leather jacket.

[14] In order to portray Jonny's feelings of anger towards Mo, Thomson and Akudolu did not talk to each other in between filming, allowing the atmosphere on set to become hostile.

She told Katy Moon (Inside Soap), "it's a horrible situation, but Mo just wants to prolong a life in the wake of a sad death.

[6] The actress told Moon that she loved wearing the prosthetic baby bump on set and that it made her feel broody.

It transpired that Mo was acting as a surrogate for her birthing partner Sorcia Winters (Susannah Corbett), the baby's biological mother.

"[17] Further exploration of Mo's fictional backstory began after her younger sister, Adele (Petra Letang) was introduced to the show in January 2014.

[21] Akudolu told Inside Soap's Katy Moon that Mo got caught up in her new job and loved the attention it brought her.

[21] Mo and Adele's mother, Ina (Angela Wynter), and younger sister, Celia (Madra Ihegborow), were introduced in January 2015.

Akudolu commented that while Mo was hurt by her mother's revelation, she immediately "swings into medical mode" to help Ina.

[17] When Ina was later admitted to Darwin ward, it emerged that the bond she and Mo once shared had been "shattered", leaving them both unsure how to act around each other.

[24] While planning Adele's engagement party, Mo was unaware that Clifford had placed her life in danger, as he struggled to pay his debts to gangsters.

They threatened to harm Mo, and junior doctor Arthur Digby (Rob Ostlere) later found a badly beaten woman outside the hospital, who turned out to be Adele.

[26] Harper commented that the chemistry between Mo and obstetrician-gynaecologist Derwood "Mr T" Thompson (Ben Hull) was something that needed resolving in 2014, and that they would be doing something about it one way or another.

And then, once he was gone, she finally realised: 'Oh my gosh, he is what I really want'"[28] In October 2015, Mo was reunited with her friend Sorcia and her son, William (Jackson Allison), when they were brought onto the ward following a serious road accident.

[29] Mo was forced to perform life-saving surgery on Sorcia's partner, Brett Jones (John Lightbody) who was also badly injured in the accident.

[30] Akudolu told Allison Jones of Inside Soap that Mo did not want William to be brought up by a cold woman, who treated Sorcia badly.

"[17] During a May 2017 interview with Sophie Dainty of Digital Spy, actor Lee Mead, who plays Lofty Chiltern, revealed Akudolu had filmed her last appearance and would be departing Holby City.

[31] Akudolu told Laura-Jayne Tyler of Inside Soap that she began considering quitting the role in late 2015 and informed Harper of her decision eight months later.

[17] The cast and crew held a leaving party for Akudolu and Hull, which the actress believed was "a great way to end five years.

[46] The writer also commented that it would not look good if Mo was unable to save a woman's only surviving child and added "when a donor heart becomes available, standard procedure goes out the window.

National Transplant Week was just a fortnight ago, so you can bet the people at the NHS Organ Donor Register will be appalled by Mo's actions.

"[46] The Daily Post writer's prediction came true when the show was accused of scaring off organ donors, following the storyline in which a mother withdrew her consent for her daughter's heart to be donated, only for the operation to go ahead.

[14] NHS Blood and Transplant revealed that several people had asked to be removed from the donor register as a result of the storyline, which they branded "misleading" and "wholly inaccurate".

[14] Katy Moon of Inside Soap observed, "Iron-willed Mo Effanga looks set to steal Jac Naylor's crown as the most despised member of staff at Holby!

[49] A writer from We Love TV said "transplant specialist Mo Effanga may be great at her job on the wards, but her personal life is a right mess.

"[51] Inside Soap journalists were disappointed when they discovered Mo and Mr T were departing, with Laura-Jayne Tyler adding, "We feel as if we've been on a real journey with their romance".