One Born Every Minute Returns to E4 After 10 Years

Channel 4's acclaimed documentary series One Born Every Minute is returning to screens nearly a decade after its original run ended, with a new 12-episode season set to film later this year for broadcast on E4.

The fly-on-the-wall program, which first aired in 2010 and ran for 11 series until 2018, captured the raw emotions and realities of childbirth in UK maternity wards using fixed-rig cameras. It followed expectant families and medical staff through labor, delivery, and the immediate aftermath, offering an intimate look at one of life's most transformative experiences. Filming initially took place at Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton, where more than 40 cameras documented around 6,000 annual births, before shifting to Birmingham Women's Hospital for the final two seasons.

The series won a BAFTA for Best Factual Series in 2010 and drew millions of viewers at its peak, with five million tuning in for early episodes. However, ratings declined over time, falling to about 600,000 for the last installment in May 2018, leading Channel 4 to cancel it. The format's success inspired international versions in countries including the United States, Australia, Israel, and several...