Are you looking for a new TV series to get stuck into? Look no further than ITV’s Maternal, then, which is set to shine a spotlight on the “women on the NHS frontline who are holding it together.”

Here’s what you need to know about the medical drama.

What’s the plot of Maternal?

The six-part series follows three female doctors as they return to post-pandemic frontline medicine after maternity leave.

It isn’t long, however, before they find themselve “having to heroically balance the intense demands of the NHS and motherhood”.

Watch the trailer for Maternal below:

Intrigued? Us too!

Who stars in Maternal?

The drama brings together the talented Parminder Nagra, Lisa McGrillis and Lara Pulver – the latter of whom recently spoke out about the show’s presentation of the NHS and her own perception of it.

“I think the NHS is in absolute crisis,” she told the Radio Times. “Having lived in the States now for 12 years, I have such a respect for and appreciation for the NHS, because the US healthcare system is so divided between haves and have nots, and it’s heartbreaking.

“And the fact that we have the NHS, even when it’s failing, it’s still operating on some level – my mother-in-law was in hospital recently and there were 180 patients being admitted into that A&E that day. Maternal is absolutely shining a spotlight on the NHS in a celebratory way just as much as in an eye-opening way.”

Nagra, meanwhile, told Leicestershire Live that she related to her character, Maryam, and her struggle with finding a work-life balance.

“We were all doing it in real-time on that show,” she said. "[We were] making sure our kids were taken care of and making sure that we were still able to do our work, and then feeling guilty if we weren’t there.”

What are people saying about Maternal?

ITV’s head of drama, Polly Hill, promises that the series is packed full of warmth and wit, and says Maternal will “perfectly capture how difficult it can be for women juggling family life, whilst under pressure at work, making critical life or death decisions”.

Elsewhere, Jacqui Honess-Martin – who wrote the series after being inspired by her own experiences of returning to work following maternity leave – has said: “I am thrilled to bring this funny, warm and quietly political story to ITV.”

“It’s been humbling to have the opportunity to hear the stories of so many brave and brilliant female doctors working in the NHS over the past two years,” she continued, “and I know the incredible team working on this show will do them proud.”

When can we watch Maternal?

Maternal airs on Monday 16 January on ITV 1 and ITVX at 9pm.

Will you be watching?

Images: ITV