Harry Potter TV series star in emotional first look at Mum and Marriage writer's "powerful love story" from BBC

*Warning: This article contains mention of pregnancy loss and miscarriage that some readers may find distressing.*

Having helmed series such as Mum, Him & Her and Marriage, Stefan Golaszewski is bringing us a brand new drama and this time round, it's set to be a gripping and tender exploration of love and pregnancy loss.

Well, we now have our first look at the series, entitled Babies, which shows leading stars Siobhán Cullen (Bodkin) and Paapa Essiedu (Black Mirror) in two very different scenes.

One image shows the pair standing outside what appears to be a doctor's office with serious facial expressions, whilst the other shows them on the bus laughing and joking together. Just from the first look of Babies, it's clear that a range of deep emotions are set to be explored in this six-parter.

The official synopsis for the series reads: "The series follows Lisa (Cullen) and Stephen (Essiedu), a couple in their 30s whose hope is tested as they endure multiple miscarriages. While confronting unimaginable grief, their bond shines through with humour, warmth, and unwavering love."

Charlotte Riley (The Peripheral) and Jack Bannon (Pennyworth) also star in the series as Amanda and Dave, "a new couple navigating their own challenges and testing their compatibility." The synopsis teases that "their complex relationship, set against Lisa and Stephen’s ongoing pregnancy journey, begins to expose cracks in Stephen and Dave’s long-standing friendship."

The series was initially announced last year, with Golaszewski saying at the time: "Paapa, Siobhán, Jack and Charlotte are all incredible actors. Their warmth, detail and deep humanity are essential to telling this crucial story that’s never told."

Golaszewski has written and directed Babies, with the series marking his return to the BBC after the release of Marriage in 2022. That series, which starred Nicola Walker and Sean Bean, followed a married couple and showed the realities of navigating a long-term union. The series garnered plenty of critical acclaim and so, it'll likely be a return to form for Golaszewski once Babies lands on our screens.

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At the time of the drama's announcement, Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, also said: "Babies has everything we love about Stefan Golaszewski's work - a tender, authentic, emotional and human look at couples navigating a time in their lives that is rarely covered on television.

"It's no surprise that this very special series has attracted such an outstanding cast, and it's been an honour to see them bring Stefan's scripts to life."

As for the leading stars of the series, viewers will have most recently seen Cullen in Netflix's Bodkin, with the actress also being known for her roles in The Long Call, The Dry and Obituary. As for Essiedu, his breakout role was in that of I May Destroy You but since then, he's had lead roles in the likes of The Lazarus Project, Gangs of London and Black Mirror's Demon 79 episode.

He is also set to star alongside Keeley Hawes in the upcoming Jack Thorne drama, Falling, which centres on a devoted nun and a Catholic priest who unexpectedly find themselves falling for each other. Essiedu is also scheduled to feature as Severus Snape in the forthcoming HBO TV series, alongside fellow British actors Janet McTeer, Nick Frost, Johnny Flynn, Paul Whitehouse and Katherine Parkinson, among many more.

Babies will be coming to BBC One and iPlayer.

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