Television: Suranne Jones swaps Coronation for Harley

From one of TV's earliest hospital visits Emergency Ward 10, through to today's medical dramas Casualty and its spin-off Holby City, doctors, nurses and their working lives have made fascinating subject matter for TV viewers.

Despite the former drama, which began in 1957, and the latter, more soap-like programmes differing wildly in style, they all lifted the lid on what goes on in hospitals. Even if they are glossy accounts, they still kept us up to date with the demands facing healthcare professionals.

One other thing the three shows have in common is that they were set inside the state-funded National Health Service.

However, Harley Street - ITV1's new drama which begins on Thursday - offers a glimpse inside the world of private practice; a luxury often only available to the great and the good, where the waiting lists and funding shortfalls affecting the NHS are apparently non-existent.

Historically, London's Harley Street, which is located in the centre of the capital, has always been the hub of private healthcare in Britain, and is today home to some of the best doctors, plastic surgeons and dentists in the world.

It is these people who provided the inspiration for the cast of the new six-part drama, which is headed up by former Coronation Street star Suranne Jones. "I met a GP on Harley Street and she was as close to my character Martha as can be," says Jones.

"She had a young child, as Martha does, and was dressed to the nines. I was amazed how a woman can be a mother, a successful doctor and run her own professional practice at the same time as having great nails and beautiful shoes. She does, though, and she looked amazing!

"I spent a couple of hours with her and I really wanted to know whether what we're showing is a true reflection of what Harley Street actually is," she continues.

"Do people in the medical world only mix with others from that world? Is Harley Street like a little village? So I took her the script and she confirmed all that.

"She had a bit of gossip too, which got me really interested; she told me doctors and nurses have affairs all the time and things like that. Everything that's in the series actually goes on!"

Jones stars alongside two other former soap mainstays Paul Nicholls and Kim Medcalf, who appeared in EastEnders as Joe Wicks and Sam Mitchell respectively.

As Harley Street begins, we learn Martha is a partner in a new, ambitious Harley Street practice with Nicholls' character Robert Fielding and talented cosmetic surgeon Ekkow Obiang, played by Shaun Parkes.

They're focused on trying to establish their business as a reputable practice and attract new, wealthy clients. That's put in jeopardy by Robert, who insists on working at an NHS hospital at night to repay the system that trained him and also on indulging his libido - which gets him into trouble a couple of times in episode one alone.

We also learn quite quickly that there are unresolved issues between Martha and Robert, which could lead their business into trouble. "They went to medical school together and there's history," explains Jones. "Robert and Martha went out, but she dumped him and now he chases every woman in sight.

"If they got together it could be disastrous, but it could also be wonderful because they've been there before. The theme runs throughout the series."

As with all medical dramas, there was difficult terminology to master, but thanks to Harley Street's script advisor any blushes were kept to a minimum.

Jones explains: "We would get a glossary of terms written phonetically along with our scripts so we could learn them that way and an explanation of what everything meant.

"We did know what we were saying by the end of the shoot and we had people with us whenever there was something medical to do who could explain everything to us.

"I had a few embarrassments, though. There was an occasion where I had to run down a corridor and put an oxygen mask on a patient, but kept putting it on upside down and Shaun couldn't work out how to use a stethoscope." Jones found overnight fame playing Coronation Street's Karen McDonald.

The 29-year-old actress played the brassy barmaid and factory worker for four years between 2000 and 2004, although she did make a brief appearance in the long-running soap in 1997.

"I'm not sure what Karen would make of Martha," she says, laughing. "I suppose Martha's a bit posh, she'd probably have a heart attack if she could see me."

Since leaving Weatherfield, she's starred in Vincent, alongside Ray Winstone, Strictly Confidential, in which she played a sex therapist, and one-off drama Dead Clever. Jones also trod the West End boards with Rob Lowe in the stage version of A Few Good Men.

"You have to get out of your comfort zone I think, and Harley Street was out of mine," she says.

"It is a different sort of part, but I thought I'd just go for it and see what happens. I've done my best, and if people like me, then great, but if they don't, then at least I've tried to do something different.

"The producers wanted to cast people who'd not done medical shows before, so it's just great to be given the chance."

Harley Street boasts an impressive list of guest stars throughout its run, including James Fox, June Whitfield, James Fleet, Wendy Craig and Shameless star Gerard Kearns.

Veteran star Leslie Phillips - who appeared in the 'Doctor' films of the 1960s-70s - also appears in episode two.

Jones says: "It was fantastic to work with him. His storyline is very sad, but he was so funny off-set.

"He'd just finished the audio version of his autobiography, so his stories were fresh in his mind to tell us, and he'd keep us entertained for hours.

"He also gave me a copy of his autobiography. He wrote in it 'To the adorable Suranne. Ding dong. Love Leslie.' That was brilliant!"

• Harley Street begins on STV, Thursday 9pm