Maternal: ITV release date, trailer, and cast with Parminder Nagra and Lara Pulver - where is it filmed?

Maternal, a new medical drama about doctors returning to frontline medicine after going on maternity leave, is coming to ITV this January.

The series, which comes from playwright and first-time screenwriter Jacqui Honess-Martin, features DI Ray star Parminder Nagra and The Split’s Lara Pulver amongst others.

Here’s everything you need to know about Maternal.

What’s it about?

The official ITV synopsis for Maternal explains that the series “tells the stories of Maryam, a Paediatric Registrar, Catherine, a General and Trauma Surgeon, and Helen, a Registrar in Acute Medicine, as they each attempt to balance their increasingly demanding jobs in post-pandemic frontline medicine with their lives as new mothers.”

Who stars in Maternal?

Parminder Nagra plays Maryam Afridi, a paediatric doctor returning to medicine after two years away. You’ll recognise Nagra from roles in US series like The Blacklist or ER, and of course also from her early-career lead role in the film Bend it Like Beckham. More recently, she starred in ITV’s crime drama DI Ray, which is currently in pre-production for its second series.

Lara Pulver plays Catherine MacDiarmid, a trauma surgeon competing to advance her career. Lara Pulver is perhaps best known for roles in series like Spooks and Sherlock, as well as other dramas that don’t begin with the letter S, like The Split. (By technicality, at least.)

Lisa McGrillis plays Helen Cavendish, a registrar with a strained personal life. McGrillis is best known roles in crime dramas Inspector George Gently and No Offence, as well as comedies like Mum and King Gary. More recently, she starred in both Avoidance and Somewhere Boy (which she was very good in).

They’re joined by Raza Jaffrey as Catherine’s ex and fellow surgeon Jack Oliviera, Oliver Chris (Trying, Motherland) as Lisa’s husband Guy Cavendish, Alexander Karim as surgeon Lars Nordström, and Julie Graham (Ridley) as Susan Fisher amongst others. You can find our full guide to the cast of Maternal rght

Who writes and directs Maternal?

Maternal was created by playwright Jacqui Honess-Martin, who wrote all six episodes. The series marks Honess-Martin’s first television credit, but she’s an experienced writer and director of theatre – some of her notable prior work includes Pine, We Have Fallen, and Tell Out My Soul.

BAFTA-nominated director James Griffiths helms all six episodes of Maternal. Griffiths has previously directed the pilot episodes of Black-ish, Episodes, and A Million Little Things, as well as directing episodes of Stumptown and The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, there is! You can watch it right here.

When and how can I watch it?

Maternal begins on ITV1 on Monday 16 January at 9pm, with new episodes available weekly. You’ll also be able to stream the series on ITVX.

How many episodes are there?

Maternal is a six-part drama, with each episode around 45 minutes long.

Where was Maternal filmed?

Maternal is set in City General Hospital, a name it shares with several real-life and fictional hospitals (fun fact: there’s a City General Hospital in Line of Duty too).

City General Hospital in Maternal is in Manchester, but production actually took place in Liverpool. Parts of the hospital were constructed in an office block in the Liverpool Innovation Park, while scenes in surgical theatres were filmed in Liverpool’s Edge Hill Health Centre.

Why should I watch it?

It’s one to check out if you’re interested in a medical drama explored from another angle, or if you’re a fan of any of the lead actors. You can read our review of Maternal right here.