Royal Stoke University Hospital is to be the focus of a new Channel 5 documentary series offering viewers an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at life inside one of the UK’s busiest hospitals.
The five-part series, which has the working title of Life Support, was filmed exclusively at Royal Stoke between late 2025 and early 2026 and is expected to air later this year.
It follows patients, families and staff through some of the most challenging and emotional moments of their lives, while also documenting the skill, compassion and dedication of the doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists and support staff caring for them.
University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM), which runs the hospital, said the series uses “innovative storytelling techniques” inspired by high-quality medical dramas and that the documentary captures human stories behind healthcare in a way “rarely seen before on television”.
The documentary is produced by Brinkworth Productions, which previously worked with UHNM on 999: Critical Condition, which followed the work of emergency teams at Royal Stoke.
Dr Simon Constable, UHNM Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted that Royal Stoke University Hospital will be featured in this ambitious new Channel 5 documentary. The series provides a unique opportunity to showcase not only the exceptional care our teams deliver every day, but also the resilience, compassion and teamwork that sit at the heart of the NHS.
“We’re proud to have worked once again with Brinkworth Productions, whose previous series, 999: Critical Condition, helped audiences better understand the pressures and rewards of frontline healthcare. We hope Life Support will give viewers a deeper appreciation of the people behind the uniforms and the remarkable journeys of the patients and families we care for.”
Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning at Channel 5, said: “Life Support is ambitious and unpredictable, a radical reinvention of medical documentaries. We wanted to take what audiences love most about medical dramas and bring that emotion and intensity into premium factual television.”
Malcolm Brinkworth, Chief Executive of Brinkworth Productions, added: “Character-driven and meticulously constructed, Life Support will fuse the rawness of real medicine with the narrative force of drama, creating stories that stay with viewers long after the credits roll.”
