Malpractice is back for a second series.
Season 1 of the drama aired on ITV1 in 2023 and followed the fallout for troubled A&E doctor Lucinda Edwards (Niamh Algar) as her treatment of a patient came into question and she was investigated by Dr Norma Callahan (Helen Behan) and Dr George Adjei (Jordan Kouamé) of the Medical Investigation Unit (MIU).
Penned once more by real-life former medic Grace Ofori-Attah, this second run will see Norma and George return to tackle a brand new case as another medic comes under scrutiny…
This time, the duo investigate the actions of Dr James Ford (Tom Hughes), a Psychiatric Registrar in a North Yorkshire hospital.
Here's everything you need to know about Malpractice season 2…
Malpractice season 2 release date
Malpractice season 2 started on ITV1 and on Sunday, May 4 at 9 pm. The second episode aired Monday, May 5, and the third airs on Tuesday, May 6, all at the same time of 9pm.
The final two episodes will air on Sunday, May 11, and Monday, May 12 also at 9pm on ITV1.
The series is also now available on ITVX. You will also find season 1 in the same place.
Malpractice season 2 plot
After being set in a hospital's busy A&E, the drama moves to the psychiatric unit of another hospital where we find on-call registrar Dr James Ford, played by Victoria’s Tom Hughes, being pulled in different directions in the new five-part series.
When obstetrician Dr Sophia Hernandez (Selin Hizli) asks James to assess anxious new mum Rosie in the maternity unit, his boss, consultant psychiatrist Dr Kate McAllister (Zoë Telford), urges him to attend the sectioning of psychotic patient Toni because she’s going to be tied up in a meeting.
Deciding that he can do both, James zips through his psychiatric assessment of Rosie and heads off to complete Toni’s sectioning. Later, however, events take a terrible turn when Rosie has a psychotic episode and takes her own life.
In the wake of the tragedy, James finds himself in the firing line as returning characters Dr Norma Callahan (Helen Behan) and Dr George Adjei (Jordan Kouamé) from the Medical Investigation Unit sweep in to find out what went wrong.
As the duo gradually unpick James’ work and life, his career is left hanging in the balance. Is he solely to blame or are there other factors at play?
Malpractice season 2 cast
Helen Behan as Dr Norma Callahan
Helen Behan, whose credits include The Virtues, Holding and Elizabeth is Missing, will reprise her role as stern Dr Norma Callahan, who works at the Medical Investigation Unit (MIU). When speaking about the first series, Helen said of her character, "She takes her job incredibly seriously, it’s about professionalism at all costs and protecting the patient at all costs. She has to get the truth."
Jordan Kouamé as Dr George Adjei
Rising star Jordan Kouamé, who has appeared in Scoop, will also be back as Norma’s colleague Dr George Adjei. He has previously said of George, "He was investigated for potential misconduct himself and the impact of that pushed him out of the profession. And then a couple of years later, he joined the ranks at the MIU."
Tom Hughes as Dr James Ford
Tom Hughes, best known for his roles in The English and Victoria was most recently seen in Franklin and Ancient Rome drama Those About to Die. Tom plays the key role of Dr James Ford, who comes under investigation from Norma and George after his actions lead to the tragic death of a new mum.
Selin Hizli as Dr Sophia Hernandez
Selin Hizli is probably best known for playing the unpredictable Jen in Am I Being Unreasonable?, but she's also starred in Grantchester and Land Girls. In Malpractice, she plays obstetrician Dr Sophia Hernandez, who calls James to examine new mum Rosie Newman.
Zoë Telford as Dr Kate McAllister
Zoë Telford (Red Eye, The Lazarus Project) plays James' boss, Dr Kate McAllister, who urges James to attend the sectioning of patient Toni.
Hannah McClean as Rosie Newman
Hannah McClean (Blue Lights) plays new mum Rosie Newman, the patient that James is asked to assess by Dr Sophia Hernandez. He rushes through the psychiatric assessment and leaves not unduly concerned. Later, however, she takes her own life after a psychotic episode, which leads to James coming under the scrutiny of the MIU.
Other cast
Seraphina Beh (EastEnders, Top Boy) appears as pregnant psychiatric patient Toni, who is sectioned. Other cast members include Ace Bhatti, who's starred in The Effects of Lying, Line of Duty and Protection, and former Emmerdale star Katherine Dow Blyton, who played vicar Harriet Finch in the soap.
Is there a trailer?
Yes there is! See the exciting teaser of things to come here…
Interview with Tom Hughes who plays Dr James Ford
What has it been like to be thrust into the centre of things in this second series?
“It’s thrilling to come into a show like this and be asked to play a character that finds itself at the centre of the story. It’s really exciting. I thought the first series was cracking and Niamh Algar [who played the under-fire Dr Lucinda Edwards] was amazing. It was a perfectly complete TV show so there's a lot resting on my shoulders in that respect. We're all kind of new, apart from Helen Behan and Jordan Kouamé (aka Dr Norma Callahan and Dr George Adjei), which is nice.”
What is this series of Malpractice about?
“This series of Malpractice centres around my character, Dr James Ford. We first meet James facing a sliding doors moment where he is split between his role as a doctor, helping various people, whilst also stretching himself too thinly at work. The repercussions of this end up setting off a chain of reactions in James’ life and all the people around him.”
How would you describe Dr James Ford?
“James is a compassionate, empathetic, driven, idealistic man who wants to really fight for the interest and best interest of his patients. I think his connection with his patients feels very genuine and warm, but there's an element of him that's going to ruffle feathers, particularly for the people that he's working for, who want to do things by the book.”
Where do we find Dr James Ford at the start of the series?
“We find James at a moment where everything seems to be going okay. He has recently moved to a new hospital and has been working there for a relatively short period, but it has been long enough for him to find his feet. James has found a rhythm in his life, but still has a degree of instability as he is temporarily living with his sister and her boyfriend. Overall, James is a junior doctor who has been flying through the ranks. There are a lot of things that are looking very positive in his life, buy as the series goes on, he faces several challenges.”
Following the tragic death of a patient, Dr James Ford cames udner the scruitny of the Medical Investigation Unit’s Dr Norma Callahan and Dr George Adjei. What do you think Dr James Ford makes of them?
“Norma and George represent an opportunity to ensure that the truth is seen. The stakes are turned up by their arrival, but he has no issue with them. He sees that they are pretty reasonable and level-headed and just wants them to hear his side of the story.”
Did you do any research to help you prepare for the role?
“I was incredibly lucky with this role as when it came to preparation and research, I had [series creator and writer] Grace Ofori-Attah to answer any questions, and she was there to fall back on anytime! It was Grace’s medical background and real-life experience as a psychiatric doctor that originally drew me to the role. Naturally, her writing lends itself to this utter authenticity, as she has written about something she has had firsthand experience with. It gave the cast an initial point of contact, which was incredibly helpful.”
Of course, it’s not the first time you’ve played a doctor because you played Dr Harry Ingrams in the 2009 miniseries Casualty 1909…
“That was my second job on TV and it was cracking, but my research would have been very different because it was a historical drama. With Malpractice being set in the present day, it was important to get the details right. I've done my own research, but getting to talk to Grace about her work as a psychiatric doctor was a gift. Her knowledge was the bedrock that I built James from. She’s been an amazing teammate throughout this process.’
Although the drama is set in North Yorkshire, it was filmed in Belfast, Northern Ireland. What was that like?
“I loved filming in Belfast - it was fantastic! Before filming Malpractice, I had only visited the city once for a job. The filming schedule did consist of a lot of split days, so I couldn’t see a tonne of Belfast and do heaps of exploring, but when I did, I got a real sense of the city’s vibe and I loved it.”
What can audiences look forward to?
“At its core, Malpractice is a truly authentic and gripping medical thriller. Viewers can expect something that hopefully will feel true to its subject matter and the setting of a hospital, while audiences get an acute look into the perspective of a young doctor thrust into the limelight in an undesirable way. Hopefully, audiences can go on that journey with him and ultimately enjoy the story."
Interview with Helen Behan and Jordan Kouamé who play the MIU's Dr Norma Callahan and Dr George Adjei
Do you think Norma and George have changed in the two years since we last saw them?
JORDAN: "George has. He's matured. He's come into himself a lot more. In the first series, he was bumbling and unsure of himself, but this time he’s more assertive. What I like about him is how efficient, intelligent and articulate he is, and he has a big heart."
HELEN: "Norma’s still really good at her job and probably a little bit more three dimensional. We see a bit more of what goes on in her life, which is exciting. We see her human side, I suppose. It's great to play her again and flesh her out a bit more. It's been fantastic."
How would you describe their working relationship?
JORDAN: "In series one, she took him under her wing and taught him everything she knows. Now he’s come into his own, she lets him take the lead. Their relationship has strengthened, but that’s not to say there isn’t any friction or a few battles in the second series."
HELEN: "I think they have quite the great respect for each other. They understand each other and have a short hand that maybe they didn't have in the first series. They know each other inside out and try to help each other. It feels like they are more of a team. "
What is it like being back together as actors?
JORDAN: I’ve been lucky with Helen. She’s my rock. She’s the reason I’m doing the show!
HELEN: "I love Jordan. He’s such good fun and it’s been heaven to work with him again. He just makes every day great fun. When you’re dealing with really heavy subject matter, it's great to be able to have light between takes."
Do you think there’s scope for more series of Malpractice?
HELEN: "There are hundreds of fields in medicine, and therefore hundreds of areas where things can and do go wrong, so there is a wealth of opportunity for other stories where a patient has been let down."
JORDAN: "There's so much that happens in this second series that I'd love to go deeper into and investigate a lot more, especially the George and Norma dynamic. Grace is a font of knowledge. We'll see what happens."
