Call the midwife!
Emma Willis is back on a busy maternity ward for a third series…
Emma Willis has proved herself to be TV’S mostunflappable presenter after training to become a maternity care assistant for W’s series, Delivering Babies. But as she returns to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Essex for a third time, Emma admits she’s full of trepidation.
It’s been three years since her last shift and the hospital has been dealing with a staffing crisis in the aftermath of the pandemic. It also lost several of its staff to COVID-19, including a much-loved member of the maternity team.
‘The minute I walked on to the ward, I broke down,’ says the host of The Voice UK. ‘It felt weird. It should’ve been bright, vibrant and full of people, but it was dark, quiet and a bit scary. ‘What they’ve been through and how it’s affected them hit me like a ton of bricks. It must have been terrifying because they didn’t know what the outcome would be.’
Upskilled
The first episode sees Emma confronted with the news that staff shortages mean she’ll be given more training and responsibility, but she’s keen to help in whatever way she can.
‘I didn’t realise they were going to upskill me towards being a maternity support worker, a role that takes some of the weight off midwives,’ she explains. ‘As tiring as it is, it’s so rewarding. Birth still takes my breath away. It’s emotionally overwhelming and beautiful… well, most of the time!’