This is Going to Hurt: US release date, cast, plot, trailer and all you need to know

This is Going to Hurt stars Ben Whishaw as Adam Kay
'This is Going to Hurt' stars Ben Whishaw as Adam Kay. (Image credit: BBC)

This is Going to Hurt is based on the multi-million copy bestselling book of the same name by a former doctor, Adam Kay. It follows the deeply personal and honest account of Adam's career, as a doctor who is junior enough to suffer the crippling hours, but senior enough to face a constant barrage of terrifying medical responsibilities as he navigates life on a hospital ward.

Star Ben Whishaw, who plays Adam, told us: "I got sent the script for the first episode, and I was incredibly struck by the authenticity of it — which, of course, is very much the point because it's based on real experience. And then we met, Adam [Kay] and I, and I remember him saying that he wanted it to be a love letter to the NHS, and I thought, 'that sounds like a good thing for us to do!'"

The series is heading to the US after already airing in the UK on BBC One.

Here's everything you need to know...

This is Going to Hurt release date

This is Going to Hurt will debut on AMC+ and Sundance Now on June 2 in the US. New episodes will then premiere weekly. 

The series has already been shown on BBC One in the UK. You can still catch the series on BBC iPlayer. It's one of the best BBC dramas that has aired in recent times.

What is This is Going to Hurt about?

This is Going to Hurt follows events detailed in the book of the same name by Adam Kay, where he shares stories about his time as a junior doctor. In the memoir he discusses "97-hour weeks, life-and-death decisions, a constant tsunami of bodily fluids", which will be adapted into stories on screen.

Ben Whishaw and Ambika Mod in This is Going to Hurt

Ben Whishaw and Ambika Mod in This is Going to Hurt. (Image credit: BBC)

Who stars in This is Going to Hurt?

Ben Whishaw leads the cast, playing the role of Adam Kay in the series. He's joined by newcomer Ambika Mod as Shruti, a young junior doctor just starting in obstetrics and gynecology who he works closely alongside. 

Additional cast includes Michele Austin as Tracy, a confident, sharp-witted senior midwife, Alex Jennings as Mr Lockhart, a consultant, and Adam’s domineering boss. Kadiff Kirwan plays Julian, Adam’s colleague and professional rival and Ashley McGuire plays Miss Houghton, a consultant who spots potential in Shruti.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, we have a trailer for This is Going to Hurt which shows the absolute chaos that happens inside the hospital doors. It looks like it's going to blend Adam's humor with the seriousness of the medical industry based on this teaser alone, and we can't wait to see more!

Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.


She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress