‘Push’ – because the only thing more miraculous than childbirth is a comedy about it

Hold the forceps, clear the birthing pool, and cue the laugh track: comedian-writer Jessica Knappett has officially delivered a brand-new sitcom for BBC One. Titled Push, the show is set in the chaotic world of a rural maternity ward, where midwives juggle miracle-making with NHS-grade chaos – and somehow still find time for gossip and caffeine.

What’s it about? Picture a scruffy, underfunded maternity unit in West Yorkshire. The staff are knackered, the building’s falling apart, and the miracle of birth happens roughly every 20 minutes. Yet despite the madness, this is a story about the people who keep it all running – delivering babies by day, cracking jokes by night, and occasionally taking a disco nap in the sluice room.

According to the BBC, Push is “a laugh out loud celebration of the chaotic, high-stakes reality of pulling off a miracle several times a day. It’s blood, sweat and (third degree) tears.” So yes, there will be bodily fluids. And yes, it’s still a comedy.

Knappett – best known for creating Drifters and cracking up the Taskmaster panel – is stepping into the role of creator and showrunner. She says the idea for Push came after her own real-life childbirth experiences: “Ever since I gave birth to my own children, I knew I wanted to birth a show about midwives. Thankfully this process has been a lot less painful and I didn’t need stitches.”

The show is the first commission to come out of the BBC’s Comedy Sitcom Initiative – a project launched to revive the classic workplace sitcom with fresh voices and original stories. Of six writers’ rooms funded, Knappett’s idea was first out of the (birthing) pool. It’s being produced by Various Artists Ltd, the company behind other BBC comedies like Such Brave Girls and Spent.

The first series of Push will consist of six 30-minute episodes, airing on BBC One and iPlayer. Casting is still under wraps and there’s no broadcast date yet, but filming is expected to begin in 2025.

In a rare moment of candour, BBC execs admitted they’ve “been looking for a high-joke-rate workplace comedy for a while now” – and it seems Push has delivered.

So if you’re into scrubs, sarcasm and the screaming miracle of life, keep an eye out for Push. It promises to be the kind of sitcom that balances heart, humour, and the odd haemorrhage.