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BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

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Life and Birth

Documentaries

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

Following parents and staff at three of Birmingham’s busiest maternity units.

The miracle of birth meets cutting-edge medicine at three of Birmingham’s busiest maternity hospitals as parents and staff welcome the arrival of Britain’s next generation.

Series 1

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

BBC One Yorkshire

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BBC One North West

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

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BBC One East

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

BBC One London

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Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

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BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

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Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

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Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

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Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

Suranne Jones

Daniel Dewsbury

Shane McCormack

Vicky Mitchell

Becky Casey-Ahmed

Meghan Just-Truelove

Simon Kerfoot

Tom Currie

Simon Ford

Richard Bond

Dragonfly Film and Television

Life and Birth: Series 1: Episode 4

Episode 4

BBC One - Life and Birth, Series 1, Episode 4

Melissa prepares for the birth of Bertie, who has been diagnosed with Down’s syndrome.

Melissa prepares for the birth of Bertie, who has been diagnosed with Down’s syndrome. First-time mum Jen worries about her maternal instincts, and there’s joy at last for Laura and James.

Melissa didn’t have her first son until she was in her early 40s, so was elated to find out she was expecting again. But early in her pregnancy, she discovered that her unborn baby had Down’s syndrome. She has taken the diagnosis in her stride, and has been eagerly preparing for baby Bertie’s arrival. Although Melissa is no longer with the father of her baby, she is unphased by the prospect of being a single mum and has a close-knit family around her who have been by her side every step of the way.

First-time parents Jen and Dan come to hospital after Jen’s waters break at home. Dan has always known he wanted children, but career-focused Jen worries that she’s not naturally the maternal type. Although her waters have broken, Jen is advised to go home and return to hospital in the morning because her labour hasn’t yet begun. However, when she starts to feel unwell later that night, she returns to hospital and is immediately rushed into theatre because doctors suspect both she and her unborn baby have sepsis. 

Nat and Chris have been referred to the nationally renowned Fetal Medicine Centre at Birmingham Women’s Hospital after scans revealed their unborn baby’s kidney has become enlarged. And Laura and James are in hospital for the birth of their third child, following a devastating experience in which their second son, Jake, was stillborn at 40 weeks. The couple have struggled with anxiety that the same thing might happen again – so much so that James has found it difficult to even acknowledge the pregnancy. Laura’s labour is being closely monitored, and when the midwife struggles to find the baby’s heartbeat, all their fears come flooding back.

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