Tonight, the much anticipated second series of "Benidorm ER" will be screened on Channel 5, broadcast at 8pm UK time and 9pm Spanish time. It will be the first of six episodes.
The first series was screened exactly a year ago and followed British tourists and ex-pats who enter the private "Clinica Benidorm" for treatment - whether it be an emergency or a planned procedure.

I reported back in May that the film crew had arrived at the hospital in April for a four month stint. They followed patients and their families, doctors and nurses, ambulance crew and translators in their day to day duties. Ex-pat receptionist Maureen Santana is still there - manning the busy switchboard and helping out translating where necessary. In the last series popular Benidorm entertainer Karen Ravenscroft, better known as "Kinky Karen" was followed as she tried to solve an ongoing back problem.

Ambulances lined up outside emergency at Clinica Benidorm

In tonight episode you will see the consequences of the stag and hen contingency that frequent the resort when a member of a stag party is bought in unconscious.... certainly isn´t the first and won´t be the last either! It also follows the case of a story which I reported on in June called "Crash and Splash at Base Jumping Championships". The first day of the competition, which was held at the towering Bali Hotel in La Cala had to be called off after high winds blew a Spanish base jumper off course and he landed on the glass roof of the hotel restaurant!

One of the forthcoming episodes will feature successful Benidorm businesswoman and British ex-pat Christine Climent - owner of the hugely popular Benidorm Palace, which last year was awarded the title of Europe´s best cabaret theatre and nightclub for 2012. I spoke in depth with Christine about her experience with both the hospital and taking part in the program and she told me that she has nothing but praise for the service received.

Iconic landmark in Benidorm - The Palace

Christine went in for a planned spinal operation in June following nearly 10 years of suffering, which progressed over the years. She had to have implants inserted into her spine to correct a continuing slipped disc, resulting in the loss of the use of her hands. Initially she learnt to live with the limitations it caused but eventually the pain got so bad that she couldn´t even open a jar or drive. She had a wonderful surgeon, Dr Karim Ben Gariza who was trained in Germany. Funnily enough, when Christine investigated the operation that she has just had some years back, the only hospital that performed it then was in Munich! The operation was a great success and Christine was even discharged early from the hospital. Mind you, she was a bit naughty as she would most probably have discharged herself anyway, wanting to attend her grandson´s graduation from nursery to primary school! Having said that, if Dr Karim had not been happy with her recovery then he would not have authorized it.

Me at Benidorm Palace earlier this year

She had a 6 month check up in December which was fine and hopes to be signed off in June - a year after the operation. When she was first discharged she had to be very careful with what she did and told me that she even missed not being able to do the ironing! Strange that when you can´t do something, even though you don´t normally like it, you tend to miss it - I´d like to be given that opportunity to see for myself mind, especially when it comes to ironing!

So don´t forget to tune in tonight and for the following episodes over the coming weeks - who knows, you may even recognize someone!