Controversial Ross Kemp documentary leaves viewers with tears in their eyes and love in their hearts for Milton Keynes Hospital

The former EastEnders star and his cameraman were allowed access to desperately ill patients in the hospital's intensive care unit last week - a fact that outraged many ordinary people who are not allowed in to see their dying loved ones.

More than 2000 protesters signed a petition to get the ITV documentary axed, but the screening went ahead last night (Thursday) at 8.30pm regardless.

And it was right that it did. For on the day the nation learned lockdown would continue for at least another three week, if ever an incentive to abide by the rules was needed, then this programme provided it.

It made no bones about the grim reality of the virus and the life and death battles doctors and nurses are facing on a daily basis.

"We have become a hospital that is effectively on a war footing," said the consultant in charge of intensive care, Hamid Manti. "The reality is that this feels like a war zone in a field hospital."

Having survived 10 days of Covid-19 fever himself, he is back working 12 hour shifts and keeping patients of ages alive with oxygen and ventilators.

He described how young people with no previous health conditions - statistically those more likely to flout lockdown restrictions - were coming into ICU "critically, critically unwell" with the virus.

"Some of them, sadly, are not surviving this," he said.

Ross Kemp, close to tears at times, didn't need to add drama to this documentary. Though the atmosphere throughout the hospital was calm and professional, the terrifying truth of this pandemic was there in every in every word spoken by the medics and the hospital bosses.

Medical director Ian Reckless spoke candidly of how his doctors could be forced to play God if the hospital ran out of ventilators.

"Imagine a situation where we've got 20 ventilators and all of them are in use. We've got no more ventilators. We phone around other hospitals, they've got no more ventilators either. We have to make a decision for the next patient coming into the hospital, who we haven't met yet.

"Of the 20 patients who are currently on ventilators, who are the two or three patients who, to be completely honest, are not making any progress - who are getting worse not better, who aren't going to survive? And in some cases, we might have to withdraw treatment on that basis."

This, said Mr Reckless, demonstrated the whole point of lockdown - to regulate the burden on the NHS and ensure every patient can get treated.

Hospital chief Joe Harrison allowed Ross access to a 'Gold meeting' - a gathering of MKUH executives on Thursday afternoon last week, the day before Good Friday.

At that time MKUH had 63 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 and 35 more who were suspected cases. More than 450 staff members were off sick or isolating from the virus.

The hospital had 2,500 masks - an adequate supply - but not enough protective gowns to see them through to the end of the four day Easter holiday.

Mr Harrison admitted they would probably need "more staff, more ventilators and more oxygen" than they currently had.

Despite staff shortages, a second intensive care ward has already been created at the other side of the hospital, creating space for up to nine extra critical patients. Doctors and nurses are volunteering to work extra hours to cover the extra load, with many being put up in a local hotel to grab what rest they can and avoid passing any infection on to their families.

This dedication, said, nursing director Nicky Burns-Muir is simply the essence of nursing.

"This is what we do. So we have this thing where we're heroes and everything and we're fighting the fight, but I don't think people actually see themselves as heroes at all. I think they just think 'this is what we do as nurses'.... We're human beings, fundamentally, at the end of the day."

Patient George Chianike disagreed. After 13 days in hospital, part of it spent fighting for his life in ICU, he was filmed being wheeled down the corridor to go home, with nurses lining the route and clapping. As far as he was concerned, every member of staff at the hospital was a true hero. Nurse Vicky, pushing his wheelchair and crying with happiness that he survived, was his particular hero, he said.

"They're all excellent," he said. Just excellent.

Ross Kemp, shedding the "really uncomfortable" PPE gear and stepping outside the hospital, was battling back the tears himself and clearly in awe of all he'd seen at MKUH.

"All I can say is the care that patients are receiving here is second to none. It's the professionalism that's being displayed, the organisation... But most importantly it's the love. People are being treated with so much love...

"They really care about the people they are looking after here. And this is the most overwhelming thing."

Ross Kemp: On the NHS Frontline can be watched on catch up on ITV Hub.