‘It’s been a very difficult decision’: ITV ‘cancels much-loved medical drama after just one series due to low ratings’
ITV reportedly dropped the Maternal television series, after only one series.
The station canceled the medical drama after it failed to get high enough ratings, according to Sun.
A source told the publication: “It’s been a very difficult decision because the show was really liked on the channel and the viewers who watched it loved it too.”
“Unfortunately, the viewership did not come to the drama in the amount we expected.”
Maternal stars Parminder Nagra, Lara Pulver and Lisa McGrillis as three female doctors returning to the ward after maternity leave.
Cancelled: ITV reportedly dropped Maternal TV series, after just one series
Sad news: The broadcaster has canceled the medical drama after it failed to get high enough ratings, according to The Sun.
Plot: Maternal stars Parminder Nagra, Lara Pulver and Lisa McGrillis as three female doctors returning to the ward after maternity leave.
The moving show followed the women as they juggled raising their children alongside a demanding job.
The show was well received by critics, who praised the drama’s acting, dialogue, and topicality.
Lucy Mangan of The Guardian awarded the first episode four stars out of five, praising the depth of the three main characters, commenting that it had “storytelling value that produces something quite wonderful”.
While Anita Singh of The Telegraph also gave it four stars out of five, hailing it as superior to recent medical drama This Is Going To Hurt.
However, viewers at home did not feel the same way and did not continue to watch the drama.
The series ran from January to February this year and started with a viewership of 2.4 million, which dropped to 1.31 million for the final episode on February 20.
Speaking about working on the series in January, Parminder explained that her experience on the US series ER had helped her prepare for the role.
She said: “I felt like the medicine was still there a bit, even down to technically how to camouflage things for the camera.”
“Like when you’re intubating a patient (inserting a tube through a person’s mouth or nose into the trachea), you hold your hand a certain way to mask the fact that you’re not really doing it.
“The funniest part was that some of the terminology I got used to saying in the ER told me, ‘That’s not how it’s said here.’ It’s pronounced differently in Britain.
Parminder also revealed that she landed the role of pediatrician Dr. Maryam Afridi through her real-life best friend, Lara.
Preparation: Speaking about working on the series in January, Parminder (pictured) explained that her experience on the US series ER had helped her prepare for the role.
Friends: Parminder also revealed that she landed the role of pediatrician Dr. Maryam Afridi through her real-life best friend Lara (pictured)
She explained: ‘Lara Pulver and I are best friends and neighbors in Los Angeles.
“During the pandemic, we have been doing a lot of our audition tapes together. So when he recorded her audition to play Catherine in Maternal, I read the opposite parts.
‘The next day, I received an email asking me to audition as Maryam. So we took all our gear and caboodle to Liverpool to shoot as a little family.
“Having the opportunity to work alongside Lara, who I love and respect, is just fantastic.”