Gold Coast University Hospital to star in reality TV series

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The city’s hospital will be the ‘star’ of a new reality TV series.

The city’s hospital will be the ‘star’ of a new reality TV series. Source: News Corp Australia

BROKEN bones and bruises could be a blessing in disguise for Gold Coasters eager to land their 15 minutes of fame.

The $1.8 billion Gold Coast University Hospital is the star of the city’s newest reality television show, an as yet untitled observational documentary series which goes behind the scenes to follow doctors and their patients.

The cameras have already started rolling and it is understood every department in the hospital will be featured.

The show is being produced by McAvoy Media, whose CEO John McAvoy co-produced Gold Coast Cops, the Ten Network’s reality series which followed police officers from the Rapid Action Patrol group on the job.

The as-yet-unnamed series is from the same people who brought us Gold Coast Cops.

The as-yet-unnamed series is from the same people who brought us Gold Coast Cops. Source: Supplied

 

Mr McAvoy confirmed cameras started rolling on the medical observational series at Gold Coast University Hospital last week.

“We have literally only just started,” he said.

“We are shooting in several departments in the hospital.

“It is an amazing facility but it’s early days.”

Mr McAvoy said he was unable to discuss details of when or on which network the as-yet unnamed series would screen, due to commercial confidence.

“We’ll see how it all goes,” he said.

“It’s not focused on any one department – it’s being filmed right throughout the entire hospital.

“It’s a showpiece facility and one of the newest hospitals in the country.”

John McAvoy, pictured with Tara Brown at the Channel 9 Logies after party. The McAvoy CEO

John McAvoy, pictured with Tara Brown at the Channel 9 Logies after party. The McAvoy CEO says the series will look at the whole hospital, not just one department. Source: Channel 9

 

The new Gold Coast show is not the first Aussie reality TV program to take a look behind the scenes of a major hospital – RPA which premiered on the Nine Network in 1995, followed staff and patients at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

A Gold Coast Health spokeswoman confirmed all patients and staff would have to grant their consent before their stories were told.

“The production will use patients’ stories to show people what our staff face every day,’ she said.

“Only consenting patients will be included and we are using very experienced teams.

“This is a great opportunity for the Gold Coast and our own staff to show the world what we do.”

The spokeswoman said Gold Coast Health’s contract with McAvoy Media was the result of “extensive negotiations”.

“This has been a long-term discussion which has not happened by accident or overnight,” she said.

“We were really mindful that clinical care and safety comes first and we are using very experienced teams for the show.”

Gold Coast Health declined to reveal whether the McAvoy Media was paying the public health sector for production rights.