Netflix take on Channel 4 with gritty new medical series from 24 Hours in A&E bosses – as production halts on hit show

STREAMING giant Netflix has green lit a new medical drama to rival Channel 4’s 24 Hours in A&E — but there’s a twist. 

Netflix is joining forces with the producers of the hit Channel 4 drama to produce the new series, which is tentatively titled Critical. 

Tom Barnes/ Channel 4

Netflix is teaming up with the producers of 24 Hours in A&E for new medical series[/caption]

Tom Barnes/ Channel 4 images

The news comes after Channel 4 halted production on the hit series[/caption]

Channel 4

24 Hours in A&E has delivered over 300 episodes of medical drama[/caption]

Working alongside production company The Garden, which produces 24 Hours in A&E for Channel 4, Netflix will bring a new medical show to the screen. 

Critical will be a six-part documentary-style series focusing on top paramedics, doctors, nurses, and surgeons from across London.

Set to debut in 2025, it will follow the stories of patients brought back from the brink of catastrophe through the eyes of those administering live-saving treatment.

The Garden is known for bringing gritty medical drama to the screen in 24 Hours in A&E, and the production company promises to do the same with Critical. 

However, the show will be very different tonally as it will be filmed completely via body camera footage and portable cameras rather than one static cam. 

Channel 4 has halted production on 24 Hours in A&E

The news of Netflix’s new medical drama comes after it was announced that Channel 4 had halted filming on their hit series 24 Hours In A&E after more than 300 episodes.

A Channel 4 spokesperson said: “Whilst we’re not filming more new episodes this autumn, we have a high number of recently filmed but not yet aired episodes, which means we’ll continue to bring all the behind-the-scenes access from Queen’s Medical Centre Nottingham’s A&E department. 

“Channel 4 always looks to provide a mix of new shows and familiar returners and 24 Hours in A&E remains an important part of that distinctive blend. We’ll make a recommission decision at an appropriate time, once we’ve aired more of the episodes we have already filmed.”

This decision has freed up the Garden to produce other shows like Critical. 

But sadly for fans of 24 Hours in A&E, it’s unclear if production on the medical series will ever resume. 

In a statement reported by Broadcast, producers said: “We offered the channel every measure we could to try and avert it, but I’m afraid we weren’t able to avoid it. The channel hasn’t given us a date when we might be able to film again, but we’re continuing to talk to them and are determined to do all we can to safeguard the series’ future.”

Netflix is teaming up with 24 Hours in A&E producers for its new rival series

In the meantime, production on Critical is underway. 

Channel 4

It’s unclear if production on 24 Hours in A&E will resume[/caption]

Alamy

Netflix’s new show Critical will rival the hit drama[/caption]

Back in January, The Garden CEO John Hay told Deadline how he plans to continue expanding the ITV Studios-backed company’s horizons. “We are evolving from being a company best known for domestic fixed rig shows to being a company that still has fixed rig at its heart but is taking something we’ve learned from that and applying it across a wider range of genres,” he said.

The Garden also co-produced Squid Game: The Challenge with Studio Lambert. The reality competition show, based on the Netflix drama of the same name, won a BAFTA earlier this year and has been renewed for a second season.

Critical will premiere on Netflix in 2025.