Holby's Elliot: I admire Richard Briers (VIDEO)

Holby City actor Paul Bradley has revealed that he had such fun filming scenes with Richard Briers that they both ended up 'sore from laughing'.

The Good Life actor appears as a guardian angel in the Christmas Special of the medical drama, which sees Paul's character Elliot Hope attempt suicide after his daughter is shot in a crossbow incident and following the news that his son may be facing jail.

"Elliot reaches a really low ebb and goes to end it all," Paul explains. "So, as Elliot, I go to commit suicide and somebody stops me... Richard Briers stops me (laughs)."

Holby's festive episode is inspired by the classic Christmas movie It's A Wonderful Life, in which James Stewart's suicidal George Bailey is shown how much he has touched the lives of those around him.

"I get shown what the world would have been like if I'd never been born," Paul reveals about the episode.

Paul, who first found fame as EastEnders' Nigel Bates, says that he relished the opportunity to work with Richard.

"I've always admired Richard Briers and thought he was a great actor," he says. "This episode is quite heavy so we chatted a lot off camera and we'd be sore from laughing."

So, can we expect a happy ending for Elliot? "Well, he can't go back to the low level of grief he had before... hopefully," says Paul.

VIDEO: Click here to watch Paul Bradley talk about Holby City's Christmas Special