Dramatic Medics

Medical adviser for TV, film and dramaMedicine that works on screen.

Dramatic Medics is led by Christopher Peters, a consultant NHS surgeon with well over a decade advising drama and factual productions. From hospital drama to detective mysteries and period pieces, we help you build medical stories that are exciting, fit the dramatic arc and still hold up to a doctor watching at home.

Get in touch See our credits
14.

EXT. WOODLAND - DAWN

Police tape flickers in the wind. DI WALSH crouches beside the PATHOLOGIST.

PATHOLOGIST

She was strangled. Around midnight.

Bruising to the neck, tiny bleeds in the eyes. I'll know more once she's on my table.

Adviser's notePathologists rarely commit at the scene. Your detective gets the clue now and the confirmation later- a second beat for the investigation.

Illustrative examples written for this website. We never share or publish material from clients' scripts.

In the media

Interviews about our work

How TV medicine is made, and why getting it right matters.

BBC Radio 4Front Row: medicine in TV dramaListen from 13:20 The LancetMedicine of film and televisionRead (subscription) BMALife as a TV medical adviserRead the interview Den of GeekMedicine in TV drama: keeping it realRead the interview

Specialisms

Whatever the genre, the medicine has to work.

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Crime and detective

Deaths that work for the mystery

Detective dramas need deaths that are dramatic, credible and fair to the audience. We help you plan them from the first outline.

  • Ideas for how characters die, built around your plot
  • What the scene, the body and the post-mortem would reveal
  • Time of death, toxicology and how clues surface
  • Pathologists, police surgeons and procedure that ring true
Medical advice for crime dramas →
CHLORO- FORM POISON C. 1880
Period drama

Medicine true to its era

What a doctor could do in 1880 or 1932 is very different from today. We make sure the treatments, the language and the hospitals fit the period.

  • Which treatments, drugs and anaesthetics existed
  • How hospitals ran, from matron to house surgeon
  • Period instruments, props and set dressing
  • What patients and families would have expected
Medical advice for period dramas →
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Hospital drama and soap

Long-running stories that hold up

Storylines that run for months need medicine that fits the timeline, the cast's schedule and the audience's trust.

  • Diagnosis, treatment and recovery mapped to your episodes
  • Theatre and ward scenes staged for real
  • Sensitive portrayal of illness, with charity input where useful
  • Fast answers when the script changes
See all our credits →

What we do

Support at every stage, from first idea to final cut.

We understand the tension between drama and realism, and how to get both without making sacrifices.

  • New drama developmentMedical worlds and premises that stand up.
  • Storyline mappingPlots that fit the arc and the clinical timeline.
  • Script adviceNotes and line changes that keep the rhythm of the dialogue.
  • Pre-productionSet design, props, equipment and prosthetics.
  • On-set advisingPractical fixes on the day, so you get the shot, with first aid cover if needed.
  • Hand doublingCredible hands for close-up surgical work.
  • Actor supportTutoring cast so procedures look second nature.
  • Factual and presenter-ledScript checks, contributor access and on-screen expertise.
  • Books and manuscriptsMedical accuracy for authors without losing the story.

We can bring in medical and nursing specialists from every discipline who understand the needs of TV, with absolute confidentiality. We also help with the ethics of medical storylines, so what you portray does not mislead the public or harm perceptions of a condition.

Credits

Productions we have worked on

Drama

  • EastEndersBBC One
  • Holby CityBBC One
  • Death in ParadiseBBC One
  • Beyond ParadiseBBC One
  • TempleSky
  • TraumaITV
  • Dark HeartITV
  • GraceITV
  • Father BrownNewBBC One
  • Sister Boniface MysteriesNewU&Drama / BritBox
  • CulpritsDisney+
  • SiloApple TV+
  • DamageNetflix

Factual

  • James May: The Human MachineNewChannel 5

Books

  • Manuscript assessment and editingAuthors
Christopher Peters, consultant surgeon and TV medical adviser
CHRISTOPHER PETERSMedical adviser

About

A working surgeon who understands television.

Christopher Peters is a consultant surgeon in the NHS and has advised TV productions for well over a decade, from storyline meetings to the studio floor. He knows how hospitals really work, and how a production really works, and spends his time finding the version of the scene that satisfies both.

Writers, producers and crews value the same things: quick replies, clear explanations, practical solutions on the day and notes that keep the drama intact.

Factual

James May: The Human Machine

For this Channel 5 series from Plum Pictures, James May explores the human body as an engineer would. Christopher worked across the production:

  • Reviewed scripts for medical accuracy
  • Advised on set throughout filming
  • Sourced vascular devices for James to test
  • Arranged access to a surgical training centre
  • Appeared on screen as a contributor

Testimonials

What productions say

I worked with Christopher as writer and executive producer in 2017 on Trauma. When giving notes and line alterations, he was sensitive to the mode and rhythm of the line. He understood how a raw medical term might stand out unhelpfully in dialogue and adjusted accordingly. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Chris to any writer or producer.
Mike BartlettWriter and Executive Producer, Trauma (ITV)
Christopher has been an integral contact when developing medical stories at EastEnders. His work on the Phil Mitchell liver failure story has ensured that our story has been both accurate and relatable to our audiences. In addition Christopher’s understanding of the storytelling process has meant that he’s been able to present dramatic action in the context of the research for the story. I would not hesitate in recommending Chris to other productions and editorial teams.
Alex LambTV Drama Producer, EastEnders (BBC)
Take it as read that a medical advisor knows the correct nuts and bolts to advise a show. Chris does this very well. What he adds is his awareness of what a film crew need to achieve in the time they have. He offers practical solutions in how to get a shot and, should you need it, a get out of jail card on the day. He’ll offer to go through stuff with main and supporting cast and SFX, ahead of time. He realises that the medical work is one element that needs to be right but knows when to stand back and let others have their moment. And he’s fun to work with.
James BlackwellFirst Assistant Director, Temple Series 2 (Sky)

Read all testimonials

Questions

Working with a medical advisor

What does a medical adviser for TV do?

A medical adviser (often spelled medical advisor) makes sure the medicine in a production is credible without getting in the way of the story. That can mean shaping storylines, checking scripts, advising on props, prosthetics and set design, coaching actors, and being on set so procedures look right on camera.

When should we bring in a medical advisor?

As early as you can. Advice at outline stage is the easiest to act on and often gives writers new story ideas. We also regularly help late in the day, when a script or a shoot day needs a quick answer.

Do you work on film, factual programmes and books as well as TV drama?

Yes. Alongside TV drama we work on factual and presenter-led programmes, film and books, where we offer manuscript assessments for authors.

Can you appear on screen as a TV doctor or expert?

Yes. Christopher has appeared on screen as an expert contributor, most recently on James May: The Human Machine for Channel 5.

Do you only advise on surgery?

No. Christopher is a surgeon with extensive cancer and trauma experience, but over the last 15 years he has advised on storylines right across medicine, including mental health and postpartum psychosis, strokes, medical conditions in children, leukaemia and stem cell transplants, liver transplants, ovarian and bowel cancer, Crohn's disease, drug overdoses and poisonings, gunshot wounds, head injuries, hip fractures in older people, and period surgery and anaesthesia.

Where a story needs it, Dramatic Medics can also call on a large database of specialists for further input.

Do you help with crime and period dramas?

Yes, and it is a growing part of our work. See medical advice for crime and detective dramas and medical advice for period dramas.

Can you provide first aid cover on set?

Yes. When Christopher is on set as your medical adviser, he can also provide first aid cover if needed. This is offered as part of the medical adviser role, not as a standalone service.

Is our script kept confidential?

Always. We never share or publish material from clients' scripts.

Looking for a medical adviser for your production?

Tell us what you're making and where you're stuck. We'll come back to you quickly.

Get in touch