TVScope: Embarrassing Illnesses, Channel 4, Thurs, May 24th, 8.30pm
The viewers to be pitied were those watching this programme on their 48in, high definition plasma screen TVs, only to be confronted by an infected penis tip complete with lesions and blisters in glorious technicolour.
The showing of such images in this series of six programmes results in it being "throw up" television at its most gross. An infected penis is no doubt an embarrassing condition but should we be invited to observe 73-year-old Bill's intimate examination on screen in our front rooms?
In fairness to the series, its worthy aim is to destigmatise common complaints in order to encourage the public to seek medical help at an early stage, rather than ignoring ailments in the hope that they will get better by themselves which in turn often leads to further health problems.
However, the reason why people are embarrassed about certain conditions is that they do look horrid and it is questionable as to whether magnifying the gory detail of unpleasant ailments will encourage sufferers to seek help.
Some elements of this educational series are viewer friendly. It is fronted by three approachable, attractive doctors, and the accompanying voice-over is chatty and a little quirky. Real patients attend the trendy clinic.
The contradiction as to how, if their conditions are really so embarrassing, sufferers are willing to be examined under the gaze of the camera crew is not explained.
In reality, despite the sensational promise of "diseases, nudity and genital conditions", the majority of the ailments actually dealt with were the more mundane moles, psoriasis, bunions, flaky scalp and excessive sweating.
Clear factual information and advice were provided on these conditions and the treatment outcomes demonstrated were reassuring for other sufferers.
For 25-year-old Josephine a few sessions of UVB light treatment produced a dramatic reduction of the raw angry psoriasis covering her body and 17-year-old Felicity's excessive sweating was cured with Botox injections in her armpit.
The series also promotes preventative measures and the focus last week was on breast awareness. In keeping with the "jolly hockey sticks" tone Dr Dawn, who claimed to have "seen more breasts than Casanova", persuaded a hockey team to strip off in the locker room to enable her to teach them how to examine their own breasts.
Was it really necessary though to have so many lingering shots of these young women practising their newly learned skills?
Top of the horror list, however, was the dapper Brian, looking for "a bit of uplift" who incredibly volunteered not only to show his painful penis, but also his circumcision procedure to the nation.
Unfortunately, however worthy the intent of this series may have been, the turn-off shock and disgust response to the voyeuristic visuals results in any educational message being lost.
See www.channel4. com/health for fact sheets on the series.