New series This is Going to Hurt, starring Ben Whishaw as a junior doctor working for the NHS, is set to begin on BBC One on Tuesday evening.
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The heartbreaking yet hilarious drama is sure to leave viewers feeling emotional, but did you know that it's based on a true story? Keep reading to find out more…
WATCH: Check out the trailer for This is Going to Hurt
The series has been adapted from Adam Kay's best-selling memoir This Is Going to Hurt: Secret Diaries of a Junior Doctor, which was released in 2017 and details his time as an overworked doctor for the NHS.
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Adam worked on an OB/GYN ward for more than six years, and when it came to writing the book, he consulted his diaries which he kept between 2004 and 2010 detailing real-life cases from his day-to-day hospital work.
© Photo: BBCWill you be watching the new series?
When it came to adapting Adam's story for screen, directors Lucy Forbes and Tom Kingsley hired a team of medical advisers to be on set every day to ensure every aspect of the BBC programme was as authentic as possible. Some supporting actors are even real-life nurses and doctors.
Discussing some of the show's most brutally honest moments, Lucy told The Times: "The most important thing was that it felt real. This is what it's like — it's what doctors experience and the women experience. We have to stop shutting the door and saying, 'Oh no, don't look at that, it's a bit messy.'"
© Photo: RexThe series is based on Adam Kay's own experiences as an NHS doctor
Lead actor Ben Wishaw even underwent some medical training so that he could look competent while handling the newborns which frequently appear on the show.
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While the cast and crew initially planned to spend some days on a real ward, the coronavirus pandemic put paid to that. Instead, Paddington star Ben had intensive training with real doctors via Zoom.
