Stacey Dooley is set to front a brand new BBC One and iPlayer series alongside doctors Alex George and Nighat Arif, as the trio investigate some of social media's biggest health claims.
What is Clickbait Clinic?
The new programme, Clickbait Clinic with Stacey Dooley, is produced by the award-winning team at Nutopia and aims to separate medical fact from online misinformation. It comes as studies suggest around one in three people in the UK now turn to social media for health advice.
Across the series, Stacey will examine some of the internet's most viral wellness trends, looking at how they become so popular and meeting the content creators behind them. With support from Dr Alex and Dr Nighat, she'll also explore whether the science behind these online health claims stands up to scrutiny.
Topics and Experts
Supported by former Love Island contestant Dr Alex and This Morning regular Dr Nighat, she'll scrutinise the scientific basis underpinning these viral phenomena. The presenter will examine subjects ranging from extreme leg-lengthening procedures and NAD+ infusions to the carnivore diet, testosterone therapies, methylene blue and assertions that dog deworming medication can treat cancer.
Dr Alex initially gained prominence as a Love Island participant in 2018. Subsequently, he was named the UK Government's inaugural Youth Mental Health Ambassador and has authored several bestselling publications centred on health and wellbeing.
Dr Nighat Arif, meanwhile, is a prominent British GP, broadcaster and advocate for women's health issues. She has established herself as a recognisable presence on television programmes such as ITV's This Morning, while leveraging her profile to champion crucial health matters.
What the Doctors Say
Speaking about the new series, former A&E doctor and mental health advocate Dr Alex George said: "I've spent plenty of time searching online for answers about my own health, but I've also spent years working as a doctor. Looking at some of the claims going viral from both perspectives has been fascinating, and I'm really excited to explore them with Stacey and Nighat."
Dr Nighat Arif said: "This is a dream project for me and even better it's with Stacey and Alex. I've often seen the very real impact of harmful online health advice in my clinic, so helping to untangle this for viewers could not be more important. The one thing I want them to be able to say, 'is this something that is evidence-based or is this something that could potentially not work or even do me harm?'"
Clickbait Clinic with Stacey Dooley will air on BBC One and iPlayer later this year.
