Three-Part BBC Two Documentary To Examine Alternative Therapies

A new three-part BBC documentary series will see Professor Kathy Sykes on a personal and scientific journey to explore three popular, and fast-growing, alternative therapies: meditation, hypnotherapy, and reflexology.
'Alternative Therapies' (working title), a new three-part documentary series, is scheduled for transmission on BBC Two this winter.
People try these therapies for a wide array of conditions and some claims are impressive. For instance, it is claimed that meditation can help heart disease, reflexology can help people get pregnant and hypnotherapy can help people withstand intense pain. The series will look at where these therapies come from, why people turn to them and whether science can tell if and how they "work".
In search of answers Kathy travels to Nepal, Italy and across the length and breadth of Britain and the USA. She uncovers historical origins full of allure and mysticism. She tries each therapy for herself and shares her honest reactions.
She looks at some of the claims made and sees how these square with clinical and scientific evidence. And she also follows scientists who are currently trying to unravel what exactly lies at the heart of these therapies.
The Executive Producer is Matthew Barrett and the Series Producer is Emma Walker.
Matthew Barrett said: "The UK has seen a dramatic uptake and interest in alternative therapies in recent years and there is a real need to explore this further. This series will be a scientific, balanced and informative exploration of three of the most popular therapies."
The series follows on from the popular 'Alternative Medicine: The Evidence' and has been commissioned by Emma Swain.
This is a BBC production fully-funded by the Open University.
(SP)