BBC Factual Orders Augmented Reality Medical Show

BBC Factual has commissioned a new medical series from Remarkable Television that uses the latest augmented reality and medical imaging technology.

The technology used in Doctor, Can You See Me Now? (working title) allows patients to see inside their own bodies to better understand their medical conditions and the treatments available to them. From heart disease to endometriosis to back pain, patients’ conditions are brought to life in an interactive way.

Doctor, Can You See Me Now? is presented by Kate Garraway with Dr. Guddi Singh. The series is being made with some of the U.K.’s leading hospitals and consultants from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust in London, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and HCA Healthcare UK.

Catherine Catton, head of commissioning, popular factual and factual entertainment at the BBC, said: “We are delighted to be working with Dr. Guddi Singh, Kate Garraway and the team at Remarkable to create the next generation of health format, which will combine warmth, expertise and cutting-edge technology to provide unprecedented insight into common health conditions.”

Kitty Walshe, managing director of factual at Remarkable Television, added: “We’ve learnt an enormous amount having reinvented other genres of television through the use of groundbreaking technology, and this series will continue our push into establishing the next generation of popular factual formats using cutting-edge technology. Applying it to health will allow us to see conditions we are all familiar with unpacked in such incredible 3D visuals. It is utterly thrilling and takes the genre to the next level. Patrick Furlong, Claire Hughes and the team have done a wonderful job, and the series will be a fascinating watch.”

Garraway said: “I’m looking forward to delving deeper into the fascinating, emotional and empowering journey of all our patients, and for them to see what is going on inside their own bodies.”

Singh added: “As a medical doctor who is committed to making healthcare better, it’s been incredibly exciting to be part of this show and to see firsthand the possibilities opened up by augmented reality for clinical practice. We so often feel as though our doctors don’t get us, or that we only really understand a fraction of what we’re being told in the clinic. What if augmented reality helped bridge the gap? What if it allowed doctors and patients to connect and make more of their conversations in ways that simply weren’t possible before? At a time when health has never mattered more, I’m thrilled and privileged to be part of public service broadcasting that explores these questions with the British public.”