Maternal | Preview (ITV1)

Maternal is about three female doctors returning to post-pandemic frontline medicine after maternity leave and having to heroically balance the intense demands of the NHS and motherhood.

Maternal explores working motherhood with wit, warmth and humour and offers a unique perspective on our beloved, overstretched NHS, and the people who hold it together. Sometimes.

Viewers are introduced to Paediatric Registrar, Dr Maryam Afridi, played by Parminder Nagra, who is full of doubt that she can cope with the emotional demands of treating children now that she has her own.

Ms Catherine MacDiarmid, played by Lara Pulver, a single mother and successful surgeon determined to be one of the boys in the macho world of surgery; and Dr Helen Cavendish, played by Lisa McGrillis, a Registrar in Acute Medicine, who is wrestling with a self-prescribed role that sees her mothering everyone in her life. The drama will be written in her first television work by Jacqui Honess-Martin, an experienced director and theatre writer.

Maternal begins Monday 16th January on ITV1 and ITVX.