The Young Midwives of Essex - U&W

The Young Midwives of Essex is a brand-new hybrid documentary/reality series that delves in to the lives of an aspirational returning cast of young midwives in a way that you've never seen before.

Produced by Firecracker Films for U&W, the series is set on the busy maternity ward of Basildon University Hospital in Essex, part of the Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation.

Across eight episodes, the series follows the tightknit group - a mixture of student, newly qualified and fully qualified midwives - as they navigate life on and off the ward.

We show every aspect of the role, from prenatal check-ups and scans, all the way to the birthing units and beyond.

Alongside their early-starts and 12-hour shifts, we see the midwives as they socialise together and unwind outside of work, showing that at the end of the day they are just like any other young professional.

The series blends documentary and reality techniques to bring a fresh approach to the genre, while also using social media to help frame the narratives.

The stories, both on and off the ward, play out across the episodes and throughout the series to give the show a ‘boxset’ feel.

It’s no secret that being a midwife is one of the most rewarding yet challenging jobs around, but it also comes with great responsibility; they can qualify after just three years, making them some of the youngest medical professionals in Britain.