Channel 5’s new hospital documentary series was branded ‘phenomenal’ and left viewers at home in tears as a surgeon battled to save a woman’s life just minutes into the first episode.
The Surgeon, which launched on Wednesday (February 18) follows surgeons across various hospitals in and out of the operating room through life-saving procedures.
Daren Francis, a Royal Free London hospital surgeon who specialises in bowel cancer surgery, was seen operating on an elderly woman in the debut episode.
Just minutes in, Daren met with Doris, a former NHS nurse of five decades, as she faced a life-threatening emergency following a tumour in her bowel.
Daren was seen discussing the need to operate almost immediately to remove the tumour, which was blocking her intestinal pathway, leading to the possibility of her bowel rupturing – a critical medical emergency.
Doris, 88, told the cameras that she was in ‘excruciating’ pain from the horrifying tumour, that she had dealt with outside of hospital for a number of weeks.
Channel 5’s new hospital documentary series was branded ‘phenomenal’ and left viewers at home in tears as a surgeon battled to save a woman’s life just minutes into the first episode
Just minutes in, Daren met with Doris, a former NHS nurse of five decades, as she faced a life-threatening emergency following a tumour in her bowel
Her daughter appeared on screen to elaborate: ‘Mum was very sick and we weren’t sure whether to come or not because mum doesn’t like to be a nuisance.
‘She doesn’t like, you know, I think being a retired nurse, I think she just doesn’t want to be a bother.’
But Daren was quick to inform the family, looking at scans of Doris’ body: ‘It looks like the bowel’s blocked with a growth or a little lump, and that, we’ve got to consider is potentially a malignant or a cancerous growth.
‘The plan is to take you to the operating theatre, general anaesthetic, you’ll be asleep, and make a cut in your tummy up and down, and then remove that piece of bowel, which is blocking the rest of the bowel.’
Daren added to the cameras: ‘If we leave it there, the bowel can get stretched and stretched, and then eventually it could pop.
‘Time is of essence. So we need to get on and do this. Otherwise, we’ll be in trouble.’
The episode then followed Daren in surgery as he removed part of Doris’ bowel successfully – before she was sent home to recover.
Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their reaction to the first episode, admitting they had been left emotional watching the scenes unfold.
Doris, 88, told the cameras that she was in ‘excruciating’ pain from the horrifying tumour, that she had dealt with outside of hospital for a number of weeks
Daren was seen discussing the need to operate almost immediately to remove the tumour, which was blocking her intestinal pathway, leading to the possibility of her bowel rupturing – a critical medical emergency
One penned: ‘3 mins in and I am crying already! surgeons are so compassionate, skilled and amazing,’ as another chimed in: ‘[Crying emoji] at Dr Daren Francis.’
A third wrote: ‘The Surgeon on 5 is phenomenal TV. Daren is an incredible human being. Amazing,’ while a fourth said: ‘People talk about miracles but people like Daren create them here and now for people using his phenomenal surgery skills.’
‘Never get tired of watching programmes like The Surgeon,’ someone else shared, adding: ‘Skills beyond belief.’
Speaking to the NHS’s Royal Free ahead of his episode debut, Daren, who has been a consultant for more than two decades, admitted it was a ‘thrill’ to be on screen.
He said: ‘It was a real thrill to be part of this documentary. It was an opportunity to showcase the Royal Free London’s exceptional cancer services and to demonstrate the real team effort that goes into delivering care for our patients.
‘It was great working with the production team who are all incredibly professional.
‘Being a surgeon can be stressful and it’s a lot of hard work, but I hope people watching this will see that’s also hugely rewarding – I hope it can inspire the next generation of surgeons.’
The second episode of The Surgeon will follow a leading breast surgeon, who will reveal what life is like outside the operating theatre, letting cameras into her home.
The episode then followed Daren in surgery as he removed part of Doris’ bowel successfully
Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their reaction to the first episode, admitting they had been left emotional watching the scenes unfold
The upcoming instalment will see consultant breast surgeon Sascha Dua, who works at the Broomfield Hospital, operate on patients with breast cancer.
It comes after an emotional episode of Channel 4’s hit medical series 24 Hours In A&E saw a father-of-two diagnosed with a brain tumour and cancer.
In the episode, which hit screens in January, Richard Powell, 54, from south London, was rushed to A&E with a suspected stroke after suffering a seizure in the middle of the night.
It later emerged that he had been suffering episodes where he would struggle to speak, which he had believed was down to stress.
However, a CT scan later revealed that he had a mass on his brain, with further tests showing he had a Grade 4 glioblastoma.
Speaking on the Channel 4 medical show, his wife Mary said: ‘I’m just devastated, absolutely devastated. There’s no point saying it’s going to be alright. All you can do is say that you’re going to be here, whatever happens.’
It is later revealed that Richard has a Grade 4 glioblastoma, a type of brain tumour, that was fast growing.
He is now undergoing intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, with the tumour currently stable.
The Surgeon airs Wednesdays at 9pm on Channel 5.
