A new two-part true crime documentary on Prime Video has been described by a TV critic as "insane, sick and twisted" but also "disturbingly fascinating". The series, titled An Amputation Obsession: The Monster and the Surgeon, tells the story of a Cornwall surgeon named Neil Hopper.
Critic's Warning
In a TikTok video, critic Alex Nicola declared: "It's one of the most insane documentaries I have ever seen," while admitting he found it "fascinating". He explained that Hopper was a vascular surgeon at the Royal Cornwall Hospital who performed amputations, but in 2019 he became a patient himself and lost both legs below the knee after what he claimed was a devastating case of sepsis.
According to Nicola, Hopper became an "incredibly inspirational figure", appearing on ITV's This Morning to discuss his ordeal, before returning to work as a surgeon after just six months. "Except that was not the real story," Nicola revealed, suggesting things become "very, very dark" as the story unfolds.
Dark Corners of the Internet
Nicola noted: "It's one of those documentaries that opens the door to some very dark corners of the internet that nobody should ever be in." He concluded: "I was sat with my mouth open for two hours... it's like every 10 minutes the story gets stranger and stranger. You need to drop whatever you are doing and go watch this right now."
A synopsis from Prime Video reads: "Celebrated surgeon Neil Hopper becomes an inspirational double amputee, until an investigation begins to expose the dark secret behind his remarkable story. As the truth emerges, investigators uncover Neil Hopper's hidden obsession, links to a notorious underground network, and the deception behind his heroic image."
Public Reaction
Responding to Nicola's clip, one TikTok user exclaimed: "Going to watch this, but preparing myself!" A second person recalled: "I remember this... living in Cornwall at the time." A third reflected: "Oh my God the way I remember reading this on the news." While a fourth said: "I'm really not sure how I feel about this story. He obviously has a mental health disorder. He was apparently a brilliant doctor. It all seems rather sad."
In May 2026, Hopper was struck off the medical register. Prime Video confirmed at the end of the programme: "In a statement during his general medical council tribunal Neil Hopper said, 'I want to make sure the public are aware that my practices were safe'. He told the GMC he 'felt no enjoyment performing amputations on others in his role as a surgeon'." The GMC confirmed that Neil Hopper 'clarified that he felt no enjoyment performing amputations on others in his role as a surgeon'.
An Amputation Obsession: The Monster and the Surgeon can be streamed on Prime Video.
