Emma Willis returns to The Princess Alexandra Hospital for a third series of W’s Delivering Babies

Emma

Monday 28 March 2022

The doors to The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow are set to open once again, as Emma Willis returns to her role as maternity care assistant (MCA) in a third series of W's hit show. She joins the team after two challenging years as the maternity team managed the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The UKTV Original series, Emma Willis: Delivering Babies (8x60'), is produced by Firecracker Films and will be airing later this year on W's newly announced Freeview slot 25, which is available from today. Viewers will also be able to access all previous series on UKTV Play.

Emma Willis said:

I am so excited to be back!! I can't believe how long it's been since I worked a shift with the wonderful team at The Princess Alexandra Hospital. The staff are still very much on the frontline and, although there is a return to some sort of normality for many of us, I'm sure there will still be lots of challenges for us to work around whilst filming on the busy maternity unit.

After a three year gap caused by the pandemic, Emma is about to return to the frontline of the busy maternity unit and provide care and support to the many mums-to-be that head through their doors. Her colleagues have faced two challenging years during the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring that they provide high quality care whilst keeping everyone safe.

Emma will need some refresher training to bring her back up to speed on her duties as an MCA and, now that her pals Val and Naghmeh have retired, she'll have to make some new friends and show her bosses that she's got what it takes. As well as working on the ward, Emma will be experiencing what it's like to work in the community with home births, plus she'll learn more about one of the most difficult aspects that the maternity team deal with - providing support to expectant mothers and families who lose their babies.

Emma Willis: Delivering Babies is commissioned for UKTV by Helen Nightingale, senior commissioning editor, and ordered by Adam Collings, channel director for W. Steve North is genre general manager for comedy and entertainment and Hilary Rosen is head of factual and factual entertainment. The series is executive produced for Firecracker Films by Jenny Midl and Jes Wilkins, chief creative officer. Series producer for Emma Willis: Delivering Babies is Lisa Murphy-O'Reilly and Julie Scott is head of production. The series will be distributed by Passion Distribution.

Helen Nightingale said:

I'm so pleased we can finally get Emma Willis back on the maternity unit with the brilliant team at The Princess Alexandra Hospital. It's been an incredibly challenging couple of years for them, but this feels like a perfect time to get another slice of the warmth and joy that this award-winning series offers.

Adam Collings added:

It's a very exciting time for W at the moment, so adding the next instalment of one of our highest rating and most in-demand shows is thrilling in our new life as a freely available channel.

Jes Wilkins, Firecracker Films, said:

We were two weeks away from filming this series in March 2020 when lockdown happened. It's very emotional that finally Emma will be getting her uniform on again for this much loved series. I just want to thank Emma, UKTV and everyone at the hospital for their patience over this uniquely challenging and frustrating period.

The hit series has been awarded the Broadcast Digital Award for Best Popular Factual for three years running, with Emma Willis: Delivering Babies in 2020 being named as the Best Lockdown Programme in that category at last year's ceremony.

Emma Willis: Delivering Babies will return to W later this year. All episodes from previous series are now available on UKTV Play.

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W

For more information, please contact:

Kelly Phelps, Senior Publicist, UKTV

About W

Freeview 25, Sky 132/827 (HD), Virgin 125/211 (HD), Freesat 156

W is a TV channel passionate about people and finding the joy in everyday moments. Its quality mix of UKTV Originals featuring heart-warming shows led by some of the UK's most-loved talent, and uplifting series shining a light on heroic emergency services, are complemented by high quality acquisitions. W shows tap into the raw and genuine heart swell moments, from emotions running high at the sound of a baby's first cry in the award-winning Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, to heart-stopping drama for the incredible frontline workers in Inside the Ambulance, Nurses on the Ward and 999 Rescue Squad. Elsewhere, award-winning documentary maker Stacey Dooley offers an unfiltered insight into unseen areas of modern relationships and family life in the hit series Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, while Rochelle Humes helps deserving families transform their homes in Rochelle Humes: Interior Designer in the Making.
W is also the exclusive home to the joyfully competitive MasterChef franchise, including MasterChef Australia, MasterChef USA and MasterChef Juniors.

About UKTV

UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 25 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands - Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and scripted drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers.

UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.

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