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Dr. Michael Mosley’s television career began in the ’90s and over the next 20 years, he did everything from James Bond bungee jumping to living with a tapeworm.
Born in Calcutta, India, Dr. Mosley attended boarding school in England before studying PPE at Oxford. After trying investment banking, he retrained as a doctor before joining the BBC as a trainee production assistant.
Dr. Mosley made a series of science and history documentaries for 25 years and became a presenter and executive producer for the corporation.
In his journalistic career he has worked alongside the likes of John Cleese, Jeremy Clarkson, Professor Robert Winston and Sir David Attenborough.
He spent his screen career challenging outdated ideas, bringing his talents of wit, enthusiasm and lateral thinking to test theories, often about himself.
MailOnline reviews the career of the television doctor on our screens over the years.
Dr Mosley (pictured) was found dead today on a small Greek island after he went missing.
Dr. Mosley married Clare (pictured together) in 1987, after meeting in medical school.
Ulcer Wars – 1994
In 1994, Dr. Moseley completed his first full-length project. The Horizon documentary was about Barry Marshall, a self-experimenter.
He was convinced that stomach ulcers are not caused by stress but by an organism.
The program generated more than 20,000 letters and, as a result, Mosley was named medical journalist of the year by the British Medical Association.
He said at the time: “I probably, interestingly, did more good with that program than if I had stayed in medicine for 30 years.”
Believe me, I’m a doctor – 1996
In November 1996, the documentary program was broadcast for the first time with a combination of factual reporting and satire, presented by Phil Hammond and assisted by Dr Mosley.
In the program, medical experts provide health and nutrition advice to people to help them lead a healthy life.
They also analyze popular health claims and deconstruct myths surrounding the topic.
The original BBC Two show aired until 1999 and returned in 2013, with Dr Mosley as presenter.
TV Show: Trust Me, I’m a Doctor with Dr Chris van Tulleken, Gabriel Weston, Dr Michael Mosley and Dr Saleyha Ashan
On the show, medical experts provide people with health and nutrition advice.
Blood and Guts – 2008
In 2008, Dr. Mosely hosted a documentary series examining the brutal, bloody and dangerous history of the surgery.
He looked back in history to when the surgeon’s scalpel was more likely to kill one than save him.
The TV doctor also looked at invasive medicine in the past, when it usually involved bleeding with leeches.
In 2008, Dr. Mosely hosted a documentary series examining the brutal, bloody and dangerous history of the surgery.
The only show – 2009
The doctor made multiple appearances on The One Show, including researching hypnosis for pain relief with Stewart Derbyshire from the University of Birmingham.
In this episode, he was mesmerized by having a pin stuck in his hand as far as it would go, but it just felt like he was applying “tanning lotion” without pain.
The doctor made multiple appearances on The One Show, including researching hypnosis for pain relief with Stewart Derbyshire from the University of Birmingham.
The history of science – 2010
The Story of Science was a science documentary presented by Dr Mosley in 2010 on BBC Two.
It aired as a series, with six-hour-long episodes exploring how scientific understanding has developed over time.
The Story of Science was a science documentary presented by Dr Mosley in 2010 on BBC Two.
‘James Bond’ bungee jump – 2011
The health guru bungee jumped from the Verzasca Dam in Switzerland, the highest dam in Europe.
The dam became famous when a stuntman jumped off it in the opening scene of the James Bond film ‘Goldeneye’.
Looking over the edge, he realized the magnitude of the height and said with trepidation, “Oh, that’s real now.”
“That’s terrifying, that’s absolutely terrifying,” he said before jumping, screaming and commenting “that’s absolutely horrible, being upside down is worse.”
He went on to say, “I’m waiting for the moment of euphoria to come at any moment.”
Dr. Mosley bungee jumped off the Verzasca Dam in Switzerland
Inside the human body – 2011
Dr. Mosley also spoke with different people from around the world who have gone through notable changes.
Using graphs and stories, he followed development from birth to adulthood and revealed that the brain is so sophisticated that it takes more than twenty years to mature.
Using graphs and stories, Dr. Mosley tracked development from birth to adulthood and revealed that the brain is so sophisticated that it takes more than twenty years to mature.
Horizon: The Truth About Exercise – 2012
First broadcast in 2012, The Truth About Exercise highlighted how different patterns of physical activity can help achieve health benefits.
It also explored the danger of sitting for prolonged periods of time and revealed how certain people are unable to see significant improvements in aerobic exercise through resistance exercise.
Dr. Mosley on The Truth About Exercise with Michael Mosley
Infested! Living with parasites – 2014
BBC Four series Infested! Living with Parasites aired in 2014 and saw Dr Mosley explore the world of parasites by becoming infested with them.
For six weeks, he used his body as a laboratory and allowed a tapeworm to live in it to study its impact on his body.
In the end he did not suffer any major negative effects, but he did gain a kilo of weight.
He also put a leech on his arm and tried to get infected with lice.
Dr. Moseley even took sodium thiopental, known as truth serum, and also took psilocybin, a magic mushroom, while his brain was scanned.
BBC Four series Infested! Living with Parasites aired in 2014 and saw Dr Mosley explore the world of parasites by becoming infected with them.
The truth about getting fit – 2018
Dr. Mosley teamed up with scientists to research how people can exercise smarter.
With the help of volunteers and researchers, he investigated what could have the greatest impact: walking 10,000 steps a day or completing three 10-minute brisk walking sessions a day.
Dr. Mosley teamed up with scientists to investigate how people can exercise smarter
The Diagnostic Detectives – 2020
Dr. Mosley and a group of medical specialists presented a 2020 documentary series focused on the group of doctors who choose to address the problem of a patient with life-changing symptoms.
Dr. Michael Mosley’s New Keto Fast 800 Diet – 2021
The presenter most recently appeared on screens to talk about his Fast 800 Keto diet, which he describes as ‘moderately low carb Mediterranean style’.
It is the subject of his 2021 book and is also seen on Channel 4’s Lose a Stone in 21 Days.
The book sold 350,000 copies in the UK the year it was published and has since sold over 1 million copies and been translated into 30 languages.
However, her three-part series for Channel 4 was criticized by eating disorder charity Beat, whose helplines were inundated.
Dr. Mosley co-authored a book called The Fast Diet with journalist Mimi Spencer in 2013.
Michael Mosley: Secrets of Your Big Store – 2024
On the Channel 4 show Secrets Of Your Big Shop, Dr Mosley went undercover as a takeaway deliveryman.
Then he showed up at the door of those placing orders and surprised the family with his weekly takeout consumption.
One woman even broke down in tears after being confronted about her £300-a-week takeaway.
On the Channel 4 show Secrets Of Your Big Shop, Dr Mosley went undercover.