At PANDAS Foundation, we are proud to have played a key role in supporting some of the UK’s most loved television shows and documentaries as they explore the realities of perinatal mental health. Over the past several years, we’ve worked closely with major broadcasters including ITV, BBC and E4 to ensure accurate, sensitive, and impactful portrayals of what it’s like to struggle with mental health during and after pregnancy—for both mothers and fathers.
Our mission has always been to support parents and carers through their perinatal mental health journey. Working with television creatives behind the scenes allows us to help shape public understanding, reduce stigma, and offer hope to families watching at home who might be struggling themselves.
Coronation Street: Gemma’s Story and the Power of Peer Support
In 2019, we were approached by ITV to support a major storyline on Coronation Street, involving character Gemma and her experience of severe postnatal depression following the birth of her quadruplets.
Over the course of nine months, our team worked confidentially with ITV’s editors and scriptwriters to guide the development of this storyline, offering advice on everything from symptoms and diagnosis to the importance of family dynamics and access to the right support. We were particularly pleased to see a PANDAS- style peer support group featured in the show—highlighting the crucial role these groups play in the recovery journey.
Actress Dolly-Rose Campbell, who portrayed Gemma, delivered a deeply moving and respectful performance. We’re so grateful to her and the Coronation Street team for bringing this important issue into the public eye with such care.
▶️ Watch Gemma attend her first support group
EastEnders: Shining a Light on Male Postnatal DepressionBetween 2021 and 2022, we were invited by the BBC to work on a powerful EastEnders storyline focused on Stuart, a new father who was struggling to bond with his baby and later diagnosed with postnatal depression.
Male postnatal mental health is often underrepresented and misunderstood, so we welcomed the opportunity to collaborate on this narrative. Our involvement helped ensure the experience was portrayed in a way that was both realistic and hopeful.
Actor Ricky Champ handled the role with sensitivity and sincerity, and the storyline resonated widely, helping break down stigma for fathers who often feel overlooked in the postnatal period.
Documentaries That Made a Difference
We’ve also contributed to a number of impactful documentaries that shed light on the hidden struggles faced by new parents:
- Sheridan Smith: Becoming Mum (ITV, 2020) – Our CEO, Annie Belasco, spoke with Sheridan during her pregnancy, discussing anxiety and the impact of poor maternal mental health during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Louis Theroux: Mothers on the Edge (BBC, 2018) – We were involved in early planning discussions for this moving documentary exploring the lives of mothers in specialist perinatal mental health units.
- Dani Dyer: Anxiety and Me (E4, 2023) – The E4 team joined one of our PANDAS peer support groups to learn more about recovery and support for parents dealing with perinatal mental illness. We also provided guidance throughout production to help shape Dani’s story with care and authenticity.
Why This Work Matters
Collaborating with television producers and documentary makers allows us to amplify our message far beyond our direct reach. It helps people recognise their own struggles in the stories they see on screen and encourages them to seek help—often for the first time.
We are grateful to all the broadcasters, actors, and production teams who have trusted us to guide their portrayals of perinatal mental health. Most importantly, we hope these stories have helped parents and families feel less alone and more empowered to seek the support they deserve.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please remember: help is available, and recovery is possible. Visit www.pandasfoundation.org.uk to learn more about our support services.
Thank you for standing with us in raising awareness and changing the conversation around perinatal mental health.
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The PANDAS Foundation Team
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