Ben Whishaw has signed on to star in new BBC Two series This is Going to Hurt, based on the book by real-life doctor Adam Kay.

Kay’s diaries, scribbled in secret after endless days, sleepless nights and missed weekends, tell the unvarnished truth of life as a doctor working in obstetrics and gynaecology.

Whishaw is set to play the fictional version of Adam, who is working his way through the ranks of hospital hierarchy – junior enough to suffer the crippling hours, but senior enough to face a constant barrage of terrifying responsibilities. The series sees Adam clinging to his personal life as he is increasingly overwhelmed by stresses at work: the 97-hour weeks, the life and death decisions, and all the while knowing the hospital parking meter is earning more than him.

Ben Whishaw said: “I am proud to join this exciting adaptation of Adam Kay’s terrific book This Is Going To Hurt based on his experiences working in the NHS. It’s an honest, hilarious, heart-breaking look at the great institution and the army of unsung heroes who work there under the most stressful conditions.”