The Surjury (lost unaired episodes of cancelled Channel 4 reality show; 2019-2020)

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Revision as of 17:36, 22 August 2024 by SpaceManiac888 (talk | contribs) (And just when I thought Man Versus Beast's concept was ludicrous, The Surjury takes the biscuit. It involved participants trying to convince a panel of twelve... to allow them to have free plastic surgery. Yup. Unfortunately, the show never aired on Channel 4 due to tragic reasons, as host Caroline Flack was first arrested for assault, before taking her own life months later.)
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This article has been tagged as NSFL due to its discussion of a domestic assault and a suicide.


Thesurjury1.png

Caroline Flack in a promotional photograph for the show.

Status: Lost

The Surjury was a cancelled Channel 4 reality show. Produced by Gobstopper Television, it featured contestants aiming to convince a panel of twelve to grant their desired cosmetic surgery. The programme received extensive criticism from medical experts, politicians and mainstream media outlets for its romanticisation of plastic surgery, worsened by the then-extensive scrutiny of UK reality shows and their impacts on participants' mental health. Filming was completed in April 2019, but the show was put on hiatus when presenter Caroline Flack was charged for an alleged domestic assault on her boyfriend. Following the news of Flack's suicide on 15th February 2020, Channel 4 opted to shelve the show.

Background

On 30th January 2019, Channel 4 officially announced it had commissioned Gobstopper Television to produce a new reality series, titled The Surjury.[1][2] The programme adapted a namesake American show also produced by Gobstopper.[3] Rather interestingly, the American original is itself a lost media mystery, as some sources have noted that barely any information is known about it.[4]

The show's concept involved individuals seeking free cosmetic surgery. To do so, they must convince a panel of twelve regarding the surgery's necessity.[5][1][2] The panel consisted of members of the public; among them was Edward Oldfield, the programme's main judge.[6][5] Oldfield had previously appeared in over 50 game shows but notably failed to win a single penny.[6] According to then-Channel 4's Factual Entertainment Commissioning Editor Becky Cadman, the show planned to fully evaluate the merits of cosmetic surgery, rather than blindly supporting or opposing it.[7][3] The surgery would proceed if the contestant can convince three-quarters of the panel. In some cases, they would have to strip down to reveal precisely what they wanted done to their body.[1] Successful candidates would re-appear months later to re-evaluate themselves post-surgery. As for those who were declined, then-Gobstopper CEO Ross McCarthy insisted they would gain a "massive boost in confidence" from being informed their seemingly mandatory surgery was, in reality, unnecessary.[1][2]

On 16th October 2019, Channel 4 confirmed that Caroline Flack was the show's presenter.[7][3] At the time, Flack had been hosting the ITV2 reality programme Love Island since 2015 and was set to work on a winter spin-off.[8] The Surjury marked Flack's first hosting role for Channel 4, with McCarthy describing her as "the perfect safe pair of hands" for such a show.[7] Aside from presenting The Surjury, Flack would introduce the contestants and provide interesting facts concerning the requested surgeries.[7][3] Flack personally supported those seeking plastic surgery during a 2018 interview with Celebs Now, providing it made them more confident.[9] She openly expressed being "over the moon" about presenting an "exciting brand new show".[7][3]

According to the Gobstopper website, six sixty-minute episodes were ordered by Channel 4.[10] The date of the applications stage caused some confusion; The Telegraph claimed Gobstopper Casting had sought candidates in an August 2019 Twitter post.[11] In actuality, said post was actually promoting spots on a similar BBC Three programme called Plastic Surgery Undressed.[10] The application process actually occurred in December 2018 thanks to a Gobstopper Casting Twitter post advertising a show offering "free surgery",[12] a month before Channel 4 officially commissioned The Surjury.[13][10] In any case, filming commenced between March and April 2019 at Dock 10 in Manchester,[14][15][1] with Gobstopper having also planned to shoot a pilot for a potential American remake.[3]

Controversy

Channel 4's announcement resulted in both ridicule and outrage over the show's concept. Digital Spy author Rianne Houghton believed that The Surjury had overtaken Naked Attraction as "the weirdest premise of a Channel 4 show".[2] Others, like Stuart Heritage of The Guardian and iNews' Emily Baker, were more concerned over the show's impacts on viewers.[16][4] Heritage voiced concern the show was exploiting people suffering from body dysmorphia,[17] having disagreed with McCarthy's claim that unsuccessful candidates would suddenly feel confident in their appearance.[16] Meanwhile, Baker believed the programme was "immoral at best and dangerous at worst", adding that people already facing low self-confidence would now be at the mercy of a panel, television viewers and especially social media.[4] Heritage and Baker were also sceptical of Flack's appointment, especially since she hosted Love Island,[16][4] a show that prioritised model looks and was recently rocked by two suicides of previous contestants.[18] This added extra scrutiny towards British reality television and its mental health impacts, especially after The Jeremy Kyle Show was cancelled following Steve Dymond's passing.[19][20]

For instance, advertisement breaks for Love Island were no longer allowed to contain plastic surgery commercials, over concern they may promote harmful perceptions regarding body health.[21] A similar reason was brought up in a statement by the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), who strongly criticised The Surjury for attempting to "trivialise" the very real impacts of cosmetic surgery. Then-BAPRAS President Mark Henley asserted that The Surjury would encourage viewers to rush their decision instead of consulting a surgeon to determine the surgery's necessity.[22] Dr Tijion Esho, a cosmetic doctor who featured on E4's Body Fixers, rejected working on The Surjury on ethical grounds, as he was concerned how potentially life-changing surgery was decided by panel consensus.[23] Esho added that cosmetic surgery has significant physical and mental health consequences;[23] this is backed up by a 2015 BAPRAS study that notably found 59% of patients actually regretted their move towards surgery.[22]

Concerns over The Surjury were brought up during a 9th July 2019 Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing over Channel 4's Annual Report.[24][13][3] Then-Channel 4 CEO Alex Mahon insisted that The Surjury was established in response to Britain's growing adoption of cosmetic surgery. He also assured the programme relied on a competent medical crew and psychologists to avoid exploitation of the participants. However, some MPs present, including Brendan O'Hara, were sceptical of Channel 4's intentions. O'Hara accused Channel 4 of becoming "tawdry, voyeuristic and exploitative" with its programming. He argued it was indefensible to have a panel of peers decide and trivialise life-changing surgery for people already suffering from low self-esteem. In response, Mahon and then-Channel 4 Chairman Charles Gurassa asserted The Surjury aimed to provide ample social commentary regarding modern society's perception of cosmetic surgery and body image.[13][24][3]

Then-MP Paul Farrelly challenged this by citing The Surjury's "gobstopping" casting advertisements, which offered hopefuls the opportunity for free life-changing surgery and others to be on a panel to decide people's surgeries.[13][12] He argued that, based on the early adverts, the programme would not be exploring "big societal issues" as Mahon and Gurassa claimed. In response, Gurassa insisted the promotions did offer the public the potential to engage in a topical debate. He also argued that a series on plastic surgery would bring more attention to a social issue, exceeding the typical audience for a Dispatches documentary on the matter. Similar to Baker's criticism,[4] MP Clive Efford expressed concern about how social media commentary could affect participants. Mahon replied that the show's editorial standards would be carefully handled, with its impact likely replicating previous cosmetics programmes like Extreme Makeover.[13][24][3]

Flack herself received social media criticism for hosting the show.[25][26][11] Particularly, she and The Good Place actress Jameela Jamil debated on Twitter regarding the show's merits, with Jamil having compared The Surjury to the series Black Mirror and expressed concern it "will prey on people's insecurities".[26] Flack responded that her new show desired to improve people's self-image and respectfully tell their stories.[26][11] Replying to a follower's queries about The Surjury and its possible mental health implications, Flack echoed Mahon and Gurassa's comments that the programme would also enable social debate on the perceived necessity of cosmetic surgery.[25][11][13]

Postponement and Cancellation

Despite the extensive criticism, The Surjury appeared on track for broadcasting in early 2020.[10][26][5] But on 12th December 2019, Flack was arrested on suspicion of domestic assault on her boyfriend, Lewis Burton.[27][28] The incident allegedly involved Flack hitting a sleeping Burton over the head with a large object, inflicting a head wound.[29] In the police incident report, Flack admitted the attack and stated she did it because of alleged infidelity on Burton's part.[30] Flack also threatened suicide at the scene and had to be physically restrained.[31][29] Burton himself did not press charges against Flack and took to Instagram to publicly defend his partner.[32][28] The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had originally intended to merely caution Flack for the incident.[30] However, a senior Metropolitan Police officer successfully pushed for Flack to be charged with assault by beating the following day, deeming it to be in the public interest.[27][30] The prosecution accused Flack of attacking Burton with a lamp,[29] though Flack insisted she had actually used a phone.[30] She pleaded not guilty to the charges on 23rd December 2019.[29] Released on bail, Flack was ordered not to contact Burton, with her subsequent appeal against this ruling denied.[29]

In the days following her arrest, Flack announced she would no longer host Love Island, stating she did not want the show to indirectly receive negative attention.[8] Flack's legal troubles forced Channel 4 to ponder The Surjury's future.[33][5] According to insiders corresponding with The Sun, airing it with Flack as host would be considered a "disastrous move right now" since the show had already received extensive backlash. A Channel 4 spokeswoman soon confirmed there were no plans to schedule any episodes.[33] Meanwhile, Flack was scheduled to appear in court on 4th March 2020.[29] The trial never materialised as on 15th February 2020, Flack was found dead in her London flat, having taken her own life at the age of 40.[34] A day before her death, Flack had been informed of the CPS' decision to continue the trial. Two of her friends soon phoned for an ambulance after finding signs Flack had attempted to overdose.[35] A year after her death, additional revelations emerged regarding Flack's personal life, including a long and troubled battle with depression and receiving a late diagnosis of bipolar.[36][37]

Since Flack's suicide, significant scrutiny has been placed on the CPS and both the mainstream and social media.[38][39] The Guardian found that negative Flack press was almost double (35%) compared to positive stories in December 2019 (18%).[39] Outrage was directed at tabloid publications like The Sun and Daily Star, particularly over their relentless coverage of the case.[38] The Sun was notably forced to remove an article which reported on a Valentine's Day card mocking Flack.[40][38] An online petition was soon launched to demand tighter media regulation following Flack's death.[41] Criticism over online harassment also emerged.[42][11] Journalist Piers Morgan swiftly accused Jamil of instigating a pile-on against Flack for hosting The Surjury, claiming he had received messages from Flack alleging hate directed by Jamil.[11] Jamil heavily denied the accusation.[11] In April 2024, the Metropolitan Police announced that it would investigate the circumstances behind the decisions to charge Flack, with Flack's family having lambasted the original case as a "show trial".[43][44]

As a mark of respect to Flack, ITV pulled upcoming editions of Love Island: Unseen Bits and Love Island: Aftersun.[45][46] This also likely reflected growing resentment of the show, which faced calls to be cancelled since Flack became the third Love Island star to take their own life.[47][18] In a similar move, Channel 4 announced that The Surjury would be fully scrapped from its upcoming schedule.[48] To date, The Surjury remains as among several British game shows to never be released in any form.[5] In her book Be Kind: A Tribute to Caroline Flack, Emily Herbert remarked that The Surjury's controversies had greatly hurt Flack, as she had often relied on positive work coverage to manage through difficult life events.[49]

Availability

According to information from the Gobstopper website, six hour-long episodes were filmed in October 2019.[10][3] The episodes likely remain intact within the Channel 4 archive, being unaffected by the archival problems the broadcaster's older content has faced.[50] However, out of respect to Flack and her relatives, Channel 4 will probably never publicly release the episodes.[48][5] While no footage is available, Channel 4's press release on Flack's appointment contained a promotional photograph of her in the studio.[7] Additionally, the show's Lighting Director Will Charles provided a photograph that showed Flack and a contestant in front of the panel.[14]

External Links

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 30th January 2019 Channel 4 press release announcing the commissioning of The Surjury. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Digital Spy reporting on the commissioning of The Surjury. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 Deadline reporting on filming for The Surjury being completed by October 2019, with Gobstopper planning a pilot for an American remake. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 iNews' Emily Baker critiquing The Surjury and noting the lack of information regarding the American original. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 UKGameshows summary of The Surjury. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Manchester Evening News reporting on Oldfield's appearances on game shows, including as the head judge of The Surjury. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 16th October 2019 Channel 4 press release announcing Flack would present The Surjury. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 The Guardian reporting on Flack leaving Love Island following her arrest for an assault. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  9. ↑ Archived Celebs Now interview with Flack where she supported cosmetic surgery. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Archived Gobstopper Television summary of The Surjury and Plastic Surgery Undressed. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 The Telegraph reporting on the conflicts between Jameela Jamil and Piers Morgan surrounding The Surjury and Flack's death. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 17th December 2018 Twitter post by Gobstopper Casting offering places for a show based around "free surgery", referring to The Surjury. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 9th July 2019 Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing regarding Channel 4's programming. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Will Charles Lighting Ltd providing a rare photograph of The Surjury and noting filming took place between March and April 2019. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  15. ↑ Dock 10 announcing The Surjury would be filmed at its studios. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 The Guardian where Stuart Heritage criticised The Surjury as "the sickest reality TV yet". Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  17. ↑ NHS explaining body dysmorphia. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Vanity Fair documenting Love Island's controversies and three suicides linked to it, including Flack's. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  19. ↑ BBC News reporting on The Jeremy Kyle Show's cancellation following the suicide of Steve Dymond. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  20. ↑ The Guardian reporting on an inquiry being launched over the suicides of previous participants of Love Island and The Jeremy Kyle Show. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  21. ↑ The Guardian reporting on ITV pulling diet and plastic surgery commercials during Love Island broadcasts. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 British Association of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons providing a statement opposing The Surjury. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 Metro reporting on the reasons behind Dr Tijion Esho's decision to reject working on The Surjury. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 The Guardian reporting on key issues raised during the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee hearing. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Digital Spy reporting on Flack responding to social media comments about The Surjury. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 Daily Mirror reporting on Flack and Jamil's Twitter debate over The Surjury. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 The Guardian reporting on Flack being arrested and charged for assault. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Independent reporting on Burton publicly defending Flack on Instagram. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 29.3 29.4 29.5 BBC News reporting on Flack pleading not guilty to assault. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 BBC News reporting on Flack's comments in the police incident report about her attack on Burton. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  31. ↑ Independent reporting on Flack threatening suicide to police following the alleged assault. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  32. ↑ Metro reporting on Burton not pressing charges against Flack. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  33. ↑ 33.0 33.1 Metro reporting on Channel 4 pondering The Surjury's future following Flack's arrest. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  34. ↑ BBC News reporting on Flack's death being ruled as a suicide. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  35. ↑ The Guardian reporting on Flack allegedly attempting to overdose a day before her death. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  36. ↑ BBC News reporting on Flack's long mental health battle documented a year after her death. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  37. ↑ Independent reporting on Flack receiving a bipolar diagnosis weeks before her death. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  38. ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 CNN documenting the scrutiny towards how the CPS, tabloid publications and social media handled the assault case. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 The Guardian reporting on the extensive negative media frenzy against Flack following her arrest and before her death. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  40. ↑ Independent reporting on The Sun removing an article about a Valentine's Day card that mocked Flack. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  41. ↑ Sky News reporting on a petition demanding more extensive media regulation in the wake of Flack's death. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  42. ↑ BBC News reporting on criticism of trolls following Flack's death. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  43. ↑ BBC News reporting on the Metropolitan Police investigating its decision to charge Flack in April 2024. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  44. ↑ London Evening Standard reporting on Flack's family declaring the case as a "show trial". Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  45. ↑ BBC News reporting on ITV pulling Love Island: Unseen Bits as a mark of respect to Flack. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  46. ↑ Daily Mirror reporting on ITV pulling Love Island: Aftersun as a mark of respect to Flack. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  47. ↑ Independent reporting on ITV facing calls to cancelled Love Island following Flack's death. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  48. ↑ 48.0 48.1 Radio Times reporting on Channel 4 scrapping The Surjury following the news of Flack's death. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  49. ↑ Be Kind: A Tribute to Caroline Flack noting how The Surjury's controversies had impacted Flack, especially during difficulties in her private life (p.g. 161-162). Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
  50. ↑ Transdiffusion detailing the issues surrounding the Channel 4 archive. Retrieved 22nd Aug '24
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