BBC One will premiere a new eight-part documentary series titled Caring Together on Monday, May 25, 2026, featuring actress Natalie Cassidy as she enrolls in college to train as a professional carer.The series, produced by Newry-based Big Mountain Productions for BBC Daytime and BBC Northern Ireland, explores the human stories and daily challenges within the health and social care sector across the United Kingdom.Cassidy, widely known for her 30-year role as Sonia Fowler on EastEnders, filmed the project to highlight the realities faced by volunteers, professional nurses, and family carers across various care settings in England and Northern Ireland.
The documentary explores a range of care settings, including the Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire MS Therapy Centre, where Cassidy met with individuals and families managing long-term neurological conditions like Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s.
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In Northern Ireland, the production collaborated with 24 institutions, including NHS Trusts and charities, visiting intergenerational projects in Belfast, therapy support programs in Moira, a dementia-friendly barbershop in Carrickfergus, and a Men’s Shed group in Newtownabbey.The series also features the Royal British Legion’s Galanos House Care Home and Poppy Lodge in Southam, where Cassidy assisted staff members with specialized residential care and bedtime routines for military veterans.
Cassidy discussed the upcoming documentary during an appearance on The One Show on Thursday, May 21, 2026, noting that the series fulfilled a long-held personal ambition inspired by her experience nursing her late father.”Natalie will be enrolling at one of the UK’s top Health & Social Care colleges where she’ll study, train and work alongside health and social care students, care professionals, volunteers and home carers,” reads the logline (via BBC).The promotional material highlights the core societal questions the series aims to address regarding the future of family and professional care networks.
“facing the realities, heartbreak and joy of caring. Together they’ll be putting the spotlight on a dilemma we’ll all face at some point in our lives – who will care for our parents, our partners, our children… and who will care for us?” reads the logline (via BBC).Cassidy reflected on her personal experience entering a classroom environment alongside younger students during the training process.”It was very daunting because I thought, ‘I’m going into a classroom here with a load of students. I’m 42. What are they going to make of me?’” recalled Cassidy, Actress.
The actress described how the students and healthcare professionals welcomed her into their daily routines during production.”But they took me under their wing, I became part of the team – it was wonderful getting to learn again,” recalled Cassidy, Actress.Cassidy stated that the educational aspect of the project marked her first formal schooling since her youth due to her long-term acting career.
“I haven’t been at school since I was 16, EastEnders all the way, so it was lovely to get back into a bit of education as well,” continued Cassidy, Actress.The filming schedule concluded with a shared appreciation for the emotional weight of the daily experiences among the participants.”It became a bit of a running joke, we’d finish a day and we’d say ‘wasn’t that the most special day?’” continued Cassidy, Actress.
The actress emphasized the deep sense of empathy shared by the volunteers, charity workers, and medical staff she encountered.”Everybody within that care system – volunteers, charity workers, nurses – has so much empathy. Everybody is caring, so you just have the best time,” continued Cassidy, Actress.Cassidy expressed her profound personal investment in the project and her gratitude toward the participants who opened their lives to the production team.”I cannot tell you how important this series has been for me. It’s a subject I care about very deeply. Working with the team at Big Mountain Productions, they brought so much care, integrity and heart to the project,” said Cassidy, Actress.The actress acknowledged the responsibility that came with filming inside sensitive medical and residential environments.”I’m incredibly grateful to the people who allowed us to bring cameras into their homes, hospitals, care homes and college. That level of openness and trust is something I’ll never take for granted,” said Cassidy, Actress.Cassidy also commended the production crew for prioritizing the dignity of the local communities featured throughout the eight episodes.”What really struck me was how passionate the team are, not just about making great television, but about doing justice to the people and communities at the centre of these stories. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created together,” said Cassidy, Actress.Big Mountain Productions executive Jane Kelly noted that the launch of the series coincides with the television company’s 21st anniversary of programme making.”As we celebrate 21 years of programme making, we’re proud to be bringing a series like this to audiences across the UK,” said Jane Kelly, Joint CEO of Big Mountain Productions.Kelly highlighted that the complexities of social care are rarely given prominent coverage on mainstream broadcasting platforms.”Caring touches so many lives, whether at home or at work, yet it is rarely explored in all its complexity on mainstream television. This series has authenticity and heart at its core, helped by a production team with both outstanding creative expertise and lived experience of the care sector,” said Jane Kelly, Joint CEO of Big Mountain Productions.The executive expressed anticipation for the public reception of the local communities and individuals profiled in the series.”We cannot wait for viewers to join Natalie on this journey and meet the communities and characters at the heart of these stories,” said Jane Kelly, Joint CEO of Big Mountain Productions.BBC Northern Ireland Head of Content Commissioning Eddie Doyle praised the regional independent production sector for developing universal stories.”It’s great that the series has been made for audiences across the UK by a Northern Ireland independent production company, demonstrating how the creative sector here can tell important and universal stories that resonate everywhere,” added Eddie Doyle, Head of Content Commissioning at BBC Northern Ireland.Staff members from featured residential facilities also expressed hope that the documentary would improve public understanding of the social care profession.”It was lovely to meet and mentor Natalie. She was so passionate about caring for others and willing to learn about my own experiences in the health and social sector. She embraced the whole experience and fully immersed herself into our community,” said Amy Cotterill, Care Staff Member at Galanos House.Cotterill noted that the care sector frequently faces public misconceptions or social stigma that the documentary could help dismantle.”I believe it’s important for people to understand the work we do at Galanos House, as care work can sometimes be misunderstood or unfairly stigmatised. I hope the documentary highlights how meaningful and rewarding a career in care can be, and the positive impact it has on the lives of those receiving support,” added Amy Cotterill, Care Staff Member at Galanos House.Galanos House Care Home Manager Jo-Anne Wilson described the internal community dynamic among the veterans residing at the Southam home.”At Galanos House, there’s a genuine sense of community, with residents connecting through shared military experiences and building strong friendships, whether they are age 52 or 102. The team of staff takes great pride in supporting those who have served the country, creating a warm and welcoming place to call home with plenty of activities and social opportunities,” added Jo-Anne Wilson, Care Home Manager.Wilson stated that the staff and residents plan to watch the broadcast together to see their experiences reflected on television.”By taking part in this documentary, we hope to shine a spotlight on social care, the Royal British Legion and the home itself. We’re all looking forward to coming together to watch the programme and seeing Natalie’s experience at Galanos House brought to the screen,” added Jo-Anne Wilson, Care Home Manager.Shirley Scotcher, chief executive of the Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire MS Therapy Centre, welcomed the production’s focus on the dual experiences of patients and family carers.”We were absolutely thrilled to welcome Natalie Cassidy to our centre. Natalie was warm, engaging, and genuinely interested in the experiences of our members, carers, and staff,” said Shirley Scotcher, Chief Executive of the Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire MS Therapy Centre.Scotcher pointed to the specific profile of centre members Lisa and Gary Stonehouse as a representative narrative of the broader care community.”Lisa and Gary’s story is incredibly powerful and reflects the reality many families face every day. Caring can be rewarding, exhausting, emotional, and life-changing all at once, and this series shines an important spotlight on the compassion and resilience shown by carers across the country,” said Shirley Scotcher, Chief Executive of the Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire MS Therapy Centre.The chief executive expressed hope that the national broadcast would raise awareness for families managing long-term neurological conditions.”We are proud to have been part of such an important project and hope the programme helps raise awareness of both the challenges and strength of people living with neurological conditions and those who care for them,” said Shirley Scotcher, Chief Executive of the Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire MS Therapy Centre.The first four episodes of Caring Together will broadcast daily at 1:30 PM and 7:00 PM on BBC One from Monday, May 25 to Thursday, May 28, 2026, and will be available concurrently for streaming on BBC iPlayer. The final four instalments are scheduled to air during the week commencing Monday, June 1, 2026.
