Fly-on-the-wall documentary 'The Midwives' filmed at Saint Mary’s Hospital, Manchester, airs on BBC2

By Darren Heath

A new BBC fly-on-the-wall documentary filmed at Saint Mary’s Hospital will begin broadcasting tonight.

The Midwives, filmed over eight months, follows the hard work of the city’s community and specialist midwives and takes a look at life on the delivery unit.

The show also focuses on the difficulties of student life and their day-to-day challenges on the unit.

The series – which has generated quite a bit of buzz in several TV magazines – will be broadcast on BBC2 at 9.00pm and will last for six weeks.

Four of the films were shot at the hospital – one of the busiest labour wards in the country.    

Midwife Gill assesses who needs to be admitted to the ward and who needs to be sent home.

In the first episode she helps Charlotte – who has been waiting in the induction ward for a bed for 29 hours – to deliver her baby.

The film highlights the intensity of the unit and the unpredictability of which births will be relatively simple and which will be scary. 

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