Luton documentary maker Stacey Dooley is set to front a new BBC series investigating the rise of online health crazes and the risks behind them.
With one in three Britons now turning to social media for health advice, the series will put internet-driven fads to the test. From supposed miracle fat-busters and anti-ageing hacks to quick-fix pain relievers, Dooley will work with doctors and scientists to separate fact from fiction.
The six-part series, with a working title of The Clickbait Clinic with Stacey Dooley, will air on BBC One and iPlayer and promises to dig into some of the wildest health trends sweeping through social media.
Dooley said: “Social feeds are full of health and wellness tips, but it’s impossible to know which ones to believe. I can’t wait to find out what the experts think and to meet the people behind the biggest online health trends.”
The BBC says the series will trace how certain trends go viral, meet the influencers driving them, and deliver a verdict that could be “life changing… or lifesaving” at a time when NHS waiting lists continue to grow.
Jack Bootle, the BBC’s Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, said: “As social media force-feeds us an endless diet of health misinformation, there’s never been a greater need for a BBC series designed to sort the fact from the fiction – and tell us where some of the world’s weirdest health trends originated in the first place. Led by the amazing Stacey Dooley, this series will show us which health hack to believe and which to unfollow – and it could make a genuine difference to viewers’ wellbeing.”
Arif Nurmohamed, Executive Producer at Nutopia, the company behind the series, added: “This new format dives into the wild world of online health — sorting the hype from the hope. And with Stacey at the helm, we’ve got the perfect mix of heart and curiosity.”
The series has yet to be given a broadcast date.
