From Glasgow GP to Strictly star: Dr Punam Krishan's journey from NHS hero to BBC favourite

Dr Punam Krishan is a familiar face to many BBC viewers as she appears as a resident doctor on Morning Live and also presents the health news on the breakfast show

Morning Live's resident doctor Dr Punam Krishan has hit the dance floor as a "mega fan" of Strictly for the show's 20th anniversary year.

The Glasgow-based GP is stepping out with Gorka Márquez for her stint on the popular BBC programme.

Known as a "media medic and broadcaster", she's a familiar face on Morning Live and a voice on BBC Radio Scotland. Not only does she serve as an NHS GP, but Punam also contributes to health news across TV, radio, and national newspapers.

She's an author too, having penned a children's book and hinting at more to come. Despite her achievements, she confesses to feeling "intense" nerves about her Strictly adventure, acknowledging it's a leap outside her comfort zone.

Here's a glimpse into her life and career.

Punam was born on May 28, 1983, in Glasgow, where she continues to live and practice medicine. As the older of two sisters, she attended Hillhead Primary followed by Notre Dame High School, before pursuing a medical degree at Glasgow University, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Speaking to The Herald, she reminisced about being "raised on curry and Irn Bru" and shared how her parents, who emigrated from Punjab in the late 70s, stressed the importance of education, framing it as the gateway to freedom and success.

Before her Strictly moment came into the spotlight, she reminisced about her early passion for dancing as a child, sharing: "I used to dance a lot when I was younger – I did classical Indian dancing – so I think I'd like to go back and maybe do some formal dancing lessons."

Taking on a different beat, Punam explains how medicine became her career of choice even though she had diverse interests: "history and language and music and drama" all appealed, but it was the influence of her childhood family GP and "role model" Dr Kauser that solidified her path in medicine.

Dr Punam Krishan is an NHS GP with a specialist interest in public health, family and lifestyle medicine, and also has ties to academia with teaching positions at the University of Glasgow, where she completed her medical studies.

The Glasgow GP has opened up about her dual life as a doctor and media personality, revealing to the University of Glasgow website that she spends Monday to Thursday morning in her medical practice before switching to media engagements for the rest of Thursday and Friday, which includes trips to Manchester for Morning Live. Discussing her venture into writing as an escape from the pressures of medicine, she said: "I've always loved writing – I started off writing for the GP publication Pulse. I was experiencing burnout and writing became a space to offload and express my feelings about work."

She added: "There's a lot of negativity towards GPs and people in primary care, and that can be quite isolating. I felt empowered by sharing my experiences and it connected with lots of fellow doctors, then it all took off from there."

In a harrowing account of her own health crisis, Punam detailed a 'traumatic' experience following the birth of her son 11 years ago, which saw her fight for her life in intensive care. She recounted how, upon arriving at the hospital to give birth, her situation rapidly deteriorated, with her baby's heart rate 'fluctuating dangerously' and her pain becoming 'unbearable'.

Despite losing a significant amount of blood and her baby requiring paediatric care, she underwent 'urgent surgery' due to anaphylaxis and sepsis. In her own words for an Op-Ed in the I, she described waking up days later, intubated and separated from her newborn, confronting the reality of her physical state amidst a tangle of life-support machines.

"The word 'trauma' feels like an understatement."

After being discharged Punam said she felt 'broken' and was prescribed antidepressants and completed a course of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) after suffering with 'severe' postnatal depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Punam has spoken candidly about her decision to leave the practice where she worked as a GP partner, detailing the immense pressures health professionals face within the NHS framework. She left her role in 2017, clarifying to the Scotsman, "I haven't quit being a GP, I've quit being a partner in a practice," while maintaining full-time hours.

Further explaining her circumstances to the i newspaper, she expressed adoration for her medical profession but disdain for its red tape: "I loved my job as a doctor, but I detested the bureaucracy of it all."

Punam outlined her early achievements and subsequent struggles, stating, "I qualified as a GP at 28, but I was suffering from burnout by 33."

She described the toll this took on her personal life: "I found myself giving and giving until the day my family holiday was ruined by my inability to switch off from work. I was physically abroad with family, but mentally I was at my practice.

"I wasn't being an effective mother because my work was always coming home with me. I was always torn between work guilt and parent guilt, wanting to do the right thing by everyone but failing to find ways to sustain myself against the unsustainable."

Ahead of her debut on the dance floor, Punam shared her excitement: "This still doesn't feel real, I am overjoyed to be a contestant on this year's show. I have watched Strictly every year with my family and it feels extra special that it's the 20th year, I can't believe I will be the one getting Strictly-fied now. This is so out of my comfort zone, but I'm up for the journey and will give it my absolute all."

She also expressed her enthusiasm on Morning Live: "I cannot tell you how excited I feel. As a mega fan of the show for years, this honestly feels like a dream come true. And I'm in a very, very lucky position because many members of our Morning Live family have been there.

"They've done it so I'm going to be tapping into all of their guidance and advice and wisdom just to help me through. I can't wait for what's ahead."

During the launch show, she confessed to being quite nervous at the sight of the judges: "I just had a moment of just being utterly starstruck as I was in front of Shirley, and the nerves intensified."

However, Punam views her participation in Strictly as the "perfect antidote" to her demanding NHS job. Speaking to the Radio Times, she said: "I'm always doing things for everybody else – pleasing my parents, working for my patients, being a mother, a wife. I'm putting myself out there to try something completely different, for me.

"It's worlds apart from what I'm used to. I spend my whole week either in scrubs, leggings or joggers. Working in the NHS can be quite stressful, so this is the perfect antidote to that, to decompress and have some fun."

Punam is married to Dr Sandesh Gulhane, a Member of the Scottish Parliament and an NHS GP. The couple, who tied the knot in 2011 with ceremonies in both the UK and India, are parents to two children - son Aarish, 11, and daughter Ellora, four.

Sandesh, also a GP, holds the distinction of being the first Hindu and first man of Indian descent elected to the Scottish Parliament, representing Glasgow. Punam has been candid about the challenges of raising two children while working full-time in the NHS.

In 2022, she revealed to the i that she spends around £1,300 a month on nursery fees, and £480 a month during term times for after-school clubs. Her daughter, then two, was in nursery every day from 8.30am until 5 or 6pm, while their son, nine at the time, often attended after-school facilities.

She recounted her experiences, drawing parallels with a television series: "I often feel like a character in Motherland. When I turn up at work I feel in utter control, but there is so much childcare chaos behind the scenes, the before-and-after work rush of making sure you get to your kids on time, that you're present for them when you go and meet them and they don't see how stressful it's been – that in itself is an art."

She had contemplated working fewer hours or stepping back entirely but felt compelled to continue due to her dedication to her career: "I have a strong sense of duty and a calling and I think it's really important that my kids see their parents working. In turn I hope it inspires them with work ethic."

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