Stefan Golaszewski on Mum, Marriage and Babies: The Radio Times Writers’ Room

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Please be aware that this article discusses sensitive topics like pregnancy loss and miscarriage, which may be upsetting to some readers.

Welcome back to The TopMob Writers’ Room!

We’re excited to welcome Stefan Golaszewski, the talented writer known for popular comedies like Him & Her and Mum, and his latest series for the BBC, the moving drama Babies.

I first discovered Tom Golaszewski through his early work with the comedy group Cowards – Tim Key and Tom Basden were in it too, it was brilliant! He was clearly talented even back then. I remember when his first TV pilot, ‘Things Talk,’ came out in 2009 – it was a really promising start to his career.

I absolutely loved “Him & Her” when it was on BBC Three from 2010 to 2013! It ran for four seasons and starred Russell Tovey and Sarah Solemani as this really relatable, super laid-back couple in their twenties. It’s crazy to think that before it even got made, someone actually called the script “basically rubbish” – can you believe one reader thought it was the worst they’d ever seen? Thankfully, someone took a chance on it!

Despite initial skepticism, the show proved popular, leading to Golaszewski’s return to the BBC in 2016 with a new series called Mum, which airs on BBC Two. Featuring Lesley Manville, the show ran for three seasons and received widespread critical praise, earning numerous awards and nominations.

In 2022, Stefan Golaszewski shifted to more traditional drama with the four-episode series Marriage, featuring Nicola Walker and Sean Bean.

Although critics generally liked the series, viewers had a mixed reaction when it aired on BBC One. Creator Rob Golaszewski says he anticipated this, as he intentionally created a show that breaks traditional dramatic conventions.

Golaszewski, known for his dramatic storytelling, returns with a new six-episode series called Babies. The show stars Paapa Essiedu and Siobhán Cullen as a couple in their thirties navigating the emotional challenges of trying to conceive a child, including the heartbreak of miscarriages and pregnancy loss.

Alongside Essiedu and Cullen, Jack Bannon plays Stephen’s close friend, Dave, and Charlotte Riley appears as Dave’s new girlfriend, Amanda. The series explores the ups and downs of Stephen and Dave’s friendship as their lives and love lives diverge.

During our conversation, Golaszewski discussed his careful approach to writing dialogue, his interest in adapting or co-writing a TV series, and a funny story about struggling to add credit to his international phone so he could call Sean Bean.

He explained why he doesn’t foresee going back to doing stand-up comedy in the near future. He also noted that his show, Babies, like much of his work, uniquely examines how people connect and communicate – something not often seen in dramatic series.

He observed that fiction often shows characters easily understanding and expressing their emotions. However, he believes reality is quite different – most people struggle to identify what they’re feeling and even more so to put those feelings into words.

When you focus on people in their early 30s, like with the ‘Babies’ demographic, you’re reaching them at a key life stage. While it’s not universal, many people in their early 30s are starting to focus on more significant life events – things like marriage or building long-term relationships.

As people get older, their lives change. They might start families, or long for them. Careers develop, but friendships often drift apart as people move to new places. The things that once helped you navigate life in your teens and twenties simply don’t feel relevant anymore – they’re no longer the right tools for the life you’re building now.

Golaszewski explained that the characters in the show, including Stephen and Lisa, are dealing with a difficult time in their lives. Specifically, Stephen and Lisa are grappling with the unexpected loss of their baby and are trying to figure out how to communicate and cope with this new reality.

I mentioned to Jack that Dave seems most at ease in a bar setting. That’s because bars are full of background noise, which lets you avoid having to engage in meaningful conversation. He can just skim the surface of things, without really diving in, and that works well for him.

He’s now dealing with the difficult reality of a child he doesn’t know, and his friends are beginning to move forward with their lives without him.

The communication issues in the show, I believe, stem from characters struggling to process their intense emotions. We all try to understand these feelings by using words, but often words just aren’t sufficient to express what we’re truly going through.

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Watch the complete video at the beginning of this article, and stay tuned for future visits to The TopMob Writers’ Room!

Our next guest is Richard Gadd, the creator of the popular Netflix series Baby Reindeer. He’s a writer, actor, and comedian, and he’ll be discussing his new show, Half Man, which will air on BBC and HBO. Be sure to tune in!

While you wait, feel free to revisit our past interviews with Mark Gatiss, Harry and Jack Williams, Noah Hawley, Neil Cross, Steven Knight, Chris Chibnall, Jack Thorne, and Sarah Quintrell.

For information and support, please visit Tommy’s or The Mariposa Trust.

Babies will air on Monday 30 March at 9pm on BBC One, and is available in full on iPlayer now.

I’m so excited about the new show, ‘Babies,’ and I just added it to my watchlist on the TopMob ‘What to Watch’ app! You should definitely download the app too – it gives you daily TV recommendations and all sorts of cool features. It’s the best way to stay up-to-date on everything happening in TV!

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, a global TV production company. He holds a BA in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-03-31 12:36