UKTV’s premium entertainment channel, W, has commissioned a brand-new series which sees Alex Jones train as a fertility assistant at one of the leading fertility clinics in the UK, known for their world-renowned research and innovative technology. Alex Jones: Making Babies (10×60’) was developed by Little Wonder and will be produced by RDF West and will air next year.
Alex first opened up about her own struggle with fertility in 2016 so this is a topic close to her heart. Filmed across several months and with exclusive access to King’s Fertility, Alex will fully immerse herself in the life affirming job of creating new life.
Alex Jones said: “Trying to conceive can truly be a rollercoaster, and I have no doubt that it’ll be a very emotional and unpredictable journey. This series is really close to my heart, it’s truly a passion project, and I feel privileged to be able to join the team at King’s Fertility and help them with the very special job of making babies.”
King’s Fertility is led by Dr Ippokratis Sarris. The clinic is a partnership between the Fetal Medicine Foundation and King’s College Hospital and is world renowned for its fertility research and innovative technology. The fertility clinic offers a wide range of treatments for men and women from IVF to egg freezing, surrogacy to ovulation induction and much more.
As part of the role, Alex will be providing hands on support to couples as they go through the exciting and dramatic journey of trying to have a baby. Whether it’s counting embryo’s and testing their fertility levels or teaching them to inject hormones and conducting ultrasounds, Alex will be guided by the clinic’s highly skilled team, all whilst working towards a fertility assistant certificate.
Alex Jones: Making Babies is commissioned for UKTV by Kirsty Hanson, commissioning editor, and ordered by Adam Collings, channel director for W. Steve North is genre general manager for comedy and entertainment and Hilary Rosen is head of factual and factual entertainment. The series is executive produced for RDF West by Jo Scarratt-Jones.
Kirsty Hanson said: “This is a series I’ve wanted to make for years. I’ve witnessed so many close friends go through the rollercoaster and sometimes heartbreak of something that should be so simple and primal, yet it is often anything but. I feel confident the W audience will be gripped, as we follow couples through the most emotional and life changing event of their lives, where the stakes could not be higher. And who better to be guiding us through every step and learning along the way, than Alex Jones.”
Adam Collings said: “It’s a delight to have Alex Jones back on the channel since previously hosting Secrets in my Family in 2017. I am really looking forward to the journey Alex goes on with the patients of King’s Fertility, it feels like the perfect fit for W alongside Emma Willis: Delivering Babies and Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over.”
Claire Morrison, creative director of Little Wonder, said: “This promises to be an emotional, uplifting, and timely series, and we’re delighted to be granted such privileged hospital access during these unprecedented times. As one of Britain’s best loved TV presenters, Alex Jones is the perfect person to immerse herself in this unique world – she knows the highs and lows of the fertility rollercoaster from her own experiences of trying to conceive. The hardships of this past year have shaken up our priorities and having a family has become more important than ever to many couples across Britain. Alex is excited to accompany them on their journey and witness the miracle of life as she trains to become a Fertility Assistant. Combining great talent and access is one of Little Wonder’s USPs, and we’re so excited to work with Kirsty Hanson at UKTV on Little Wonder’s first commission.”
Alex Jones: Making Babies joins a stellar line up of UKTV Originals for W, including Extreme Food Phobics, with Dr Ranj Singh, ITV Studio Australia’s Nurses Down Under and the brand-new series with Emma Willis and AJ Odudu, Emma and AJ Get To Work.