Lancashire town to be centre of new show 999: The Critical List starting on Channel 4 next week

Grey’s Anatomy, ER, The Resident, The Good Doctor, This Is Going to Hurt, Holby City and Casualty - there is something about watching doctors and nurses in high-stakes situations, both professional and personal, that grips viewers.

But it’s not just medical dramas, especially those series set in a hospital, that has captured our imagination in recent years.

Fly-on-the-ward documentary series Hospital, Bizarre ER, The Hospital: Life on the Line, Nurses on the Ward and One Born Every Minute have all been ratings winners too.

And our obsession with real-life medical drama doesn’t appear to be ending any time soon, as another addition to that second list arrives on our screens Easter Monday and it’s set in the East Lancashire town Blackburn.

What is the show?

999: The Critical List, made by production company Proper Content, follows the staff at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital on Haslingden Road in the Lancashire town, which has already featured on acclaimed Channel 5 documentary series Cause of Death.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll get to see its team juggle urgent life-or-death cases from the moment they come through the door.

It’s up to the staff to decide which patient is next to head into Theatre 6, the only operating room dedicated to unplanned emergency procedures.

What has been said about the show?

“Viewers will follow patients and their families as they await an available slot on the list,” explained Emma Cooke, former deputy communications director of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, when the programme launched.

“Highlighted cases illustrate the operational dynamics of the list, particularly when higher-priority cases necessitate adjustments, showcasing the complex logistics involved in ensuring patients receive the best care.

“The series aims to emotionally engage audiences by exploring broader themes of social care and the health challenges facing the UK today.

“Theatre Six serves as a poignant reflection of the nation’s health, showcasing a variety of illnesses and conditions that many individuals encounter in their lives.

“While patients remain central to the narrative, the series also emphasises the pivotal role of clinical colleagues in their care journey.”

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What sort of stories will be shown?

In tonight’s first edition, operating theatre co-ordinator Niki and her team are struggling to cope the busiest month in five years for A&E.

Among the patients who arrive are Kevin, who has a suspected burst colon, and Tanzeen who has self-inflicted injuries with three needles in his neck.

Meanwhile, 11-year-old Deekan is only hours away from potentially losing a testicle and is rushed to theatre whilst Freddie must have a dental abscess removed before any infection spreads.