After an inordinately long gap, the eagerly awaited second series of ‘Surgical Spirit’ succeeds in surpassing the first.

With any series, the standard of writing and acting can decline after the initial series, but this is not the case with this one.

Much of the success of this series lies with the interplay between acid-tongued surgeon Sheila Sabatini (played impeccably by Nichola McAuliffe) and Anaesthetist Jonathan Haslam (Emmerdale’s Doug Potts).

The seven episodes here are achingly funny. From the trials of teenage sons to a Royal Garden Party, the calibre of the writing never lets up.

The characters are multi-layered, ranging from Sabatini, with her sharp tongue but caring interior, to the easy-going Haslam, who is seemingly the only person who can get near to her.

Instead of slowing from the initial rush of the first series, the second batch of Peter Learmouth’s excellent creation is just picking up momentum which will continue into the third, and even subsequent series.

Which, I sincerely hope, we will not have to wait as long for.