Donnatella "Donna" Marigold Jackson is a nurse who worked at Holby City Hospital on and off for nearly two decades. She began working at the hospital in March 2004 as a staff nurse before resigning in March 2011 as a ward sister; she later returned in June 2017. She later became the clinical nurse manager of the emergency department in March 2023, but her tenure came to an end in September of that year when she was sentenced to 12 months in prison for causing a road accident.
Biography[]
Harassment by Jeremy Warren[]
In December 2017, Jeremy began sending Donna threats towards both the hospital and Jac specifically. (HC: "Group Animal - Part One") On 5 December, the hospital was put on lockdown after a gunshot was heard on AAU, and Donna managed to protect a young boy named Ezra by hiding him behind a curtain. On the phone to Ric, she insisted that Jeremy was the shooter, but Ric urged her not to jump to conclusions. However, upon seeing the gunman, she realised that it was actually Fredrik Johanssen. (HC: "Group Animal - Part Two")
Car Accident[]
In July 2023, while driving home after a busy shift in the ED - to hurriedly tend to her daughters Mia and Amber, Donna began to fall asleep at the wheel leaving her car to drift into an oncoming car. She woke up in time to miss the car but it crashed into a barrier at the side of the road. (CAS: "Hooke's Law") She got out to help the passengers in the car, but the driver Ashley Morgan - left with a minor gash on his forehead is enraged at Donna. Ashley's mother Kerry - the other passenger in the car, was left unconscious. Donna orders Ashley to call an ambulance while she treated Kerry. She eventually vomits and slowly wakes up with Ashley who claimed she had 17 vodka lemonades and was taking her home. Donna decideed to help her out of the car while emergency services arrive but Kerry lashed out at Donna resulting in a nose bleed. Later, Donna and Ashley gave statements to the police. Donna lied and claimed that she was driving past and saw him swerve across the road - being a possible insurance scam. The officer in charge told Donna to return to the ED - even though was desperate to get home to her daughters.
In the ED, Donna phoned home, while clinical fellow Rash Masum treated Kerry. Following tests, Kerry's results came back with her bloods showing abnormal liver function due to long-term alcohol excess, in this case she was arrested due to being in charge of a motor vehicle whilst under the influence. Ashley pleaded to Donna to tell the truth to the police before he is arrested after revealing he was driving unsupervised with a provisional licence. Kerry was then rushed to resus after suffering a seizure. Consultant Dylan Keogh eventually stabilised her and informed Donna that Kerry was taken to theatre where they performed a craniotomy and was later taken to ITU. Donna goes to visit Kerry - who was in a coma, in which she witnessed Ashley put in handcuffs, arrested for being an unlicensed driver. At that moment Donna decided to tell the truth, however her daughters Mia and Amber abrupty appeared claiming that Amber had burned herself while making a hot chocolate. Donna took her to get treated, leaving Ashley to be escorted out the room by police. (CAS: "Little White Lies")
In August, Ashley was released to visit his mother and confronted Donna to tell the truth. They both start an argument in reception which Dylan broke up, advising Ashley to leave if he does not need to be treated. Donna phoned ITU to ask about Kerry which Dylan overheard. He urged her to keep a distance from Kerry and Ashley as she may be called as a witness to the accident. Later, Donna visited Kerry where Ashley walks in as Donna leaves but stopped her claiming that she had no right to see her. (CAS: "Dog Days")
The following week, Ashley was brought in to the ED with injuries of self-harm. Donna treated him in which she asked why he did it, he continued to plead to Donna to tell the truth causing another argument to spiral. Clinical lead Max Cristie threatened him with security in which Donna refused as he is still being treated. Later, Donna reassured Ashley that things will get better as he had no one but Kerry. Donna offered her support in which he accepted. (CAS: "Pull Together, Push Apart")
Ashley returned to the ED - continuing to self-harm. He told Donna that his rent was overdue and some of Kerry's property was taken away. He became frustrated when Donna showed sympathy towards him. Donna decided to pay his rent for the month with nothing in return. Max confronted Donna after he noticed Ashley with her in secret. Max went on about how she had been distracted since Ashley had been in the ED and told her that the only reason she was helping him is because she felt guilty. Later, Donna received a message from Ashley who went to visit Kerry. He informed Donna that Kerry's medication would be lowered - to see if she would be able to breathe again. Donna assured a sobbing Ashley that Kerry will be okay. Max informed Donna who claimed she can to do what she had to support Ashley. She told Max about her guilt after seeing him worry about Kerry and how he would go to prison because of her actions, however Max reprimands her for her decisions on the night of the accident in which would threaten her with prison. This pressured her to confront the police that the crash was her fault, while Ashley attempts to phone her to inform that Kerry had started breathing on her own again. (CAS: "Too Young, Too Soon")
Donna returned to work the following week, to discover rumours had been spread. Max called her into his office to talk about her continuing to work in the ED until her sentencing date which broke out in argument about how concerned junior nurses were being managed by someone who had caused a serious accident. The argument was halted by an attack at Holby square. Later, she found Ashley outside the ED asking Donna for more money for rent - even though she did not have enough for herself. She told him that she had already spoken to the police and had been under enough pressure already. Towards the end the shift, Dylan - noticing how stressed Donna was, suggested they should go for dinner and come up with a plan of action to help care for Mia and Amber if she was to end up in prison. She accepted his offer. Shortly after, Max called her into his office again praising how well she had handled treating her patients - including the troubled perpetrator of the Holby square incident while under pressure. She then proceeded to kiss him and both started making out. (CAS: "Aftermath")
The following month, Donna received news that she needed a character witness statement and offered Dylan to provide one. Dylan agreeed while trying to invite Donna to open up about her feelings surrounding the situation, but she insisted on not talking about it. Donna is later invited into Max's office and start making out once again. Dylan then walks in on them - leaving him disappointed. (CAS: "Hard Pill")
On the day of her sentencing, Donna tried to reassure Mia and Amber that she would not be sent to prison, by spending time with them doing something fun instead of going to work. Mia and Amber both do not appreciate Donna's decision and decided to go into work instead. At the end of her shift, Donna visits Kerry with Ashley. He informed her that he would be giving a statement. Donna comforted him while in despair and once again offered her support - which did not benefit him if she was to go to prison. Donna assureed him that they will get through this but Ashley went against her claiming that he should not have to. Donna returned home to apologise to Mia and Amber but Mia rejected claiming she would be unable to look after Amber if Donna went to prison. She did not want them to worry telling them that she has to face the consequences.
In court, Ashley read out his statement expressing his feelings about himself and his mother but praised Donna for her help following the accident, expressing that he and Kerry would be unable to cope if Donna was to be sentenced. Donna pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and lying to police. The judge Justice Wicklaw discounts one-third of her sentence for her plea and took into account of her daughters and her nursing career considering to reduce the sentence. The possible suspension of her sentence was rejected and therefore she was sentenced to twelve months in prison - six being in custody. She was then led out by custody officers and placed in a cell, leaving Donna in complete guilt. (CAS: "Too Much, Too Young")
Behind the scenes[]
Jaye Jacobs initially portrayed Donna on Holby City from 2004 to 2011; she returned to the show in 2017. She made guest appearances on Casualty in 2004, 2005, 2010 and 2019, before becoming a regular member of the cast in 2023.
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