YOU’VE heard of Holby City, Casualty, and ER.

Now the television cameras are set to roll at Southampton General Hospital for a very real medical drama.

In the first programme of its kind complex brain surgery at the hospital’s Wessex Neurological Centre is to be broadcast live on television.

Viewers will even have a chance to speak to consultant surgeon Paul Grundy as he removes a brain tumour on an awake patient who will receive small doses of anaesthetic to keep relaxed.

Mr Grundy said he hoped the Channel 4 programme, called ‘The Operation: Surgery Live”

would help to reassure future patients.

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He said: “Having to undergo neurosurgery for a brain tumour is a frightening prospect for most people and the thought of undergoing such a procedure whilst awake is very daunting.

“However, the use of day-case and awake techniques, along with the improved understanding that comes with educational documentaries, will hopefully reassure many patients undergoing these procedures in the future.”

Viewers will be able to interact with the surgical theatre and Mr Grundy via the Twitter website as well as by phone and email while the operation is going on.

The hospital has said that other operations could be filmed for broadcast in the future with patients’ consent if the programme is a success.

“It would be good to be involved in any future educational programmes,”

said a hospital spokesman.

Hosted by news anchorman Krishnan Guru- Murthy, the series will also feature surgery on the heart, stomach and tumour removal from Papworth and Addenbrooke’s, both in Cambridge, and King’s College in London.

The series is being made by Windfall Films in association with the medical research charity the Wellcome Trust.

Clare Matterson, Wellcome Director for medicine, society and history said: “Although surgery and medicine are often seen on television, we are bringing, for the first time, a real experience of surgery into the public realm.”

■ Surgery Live at Southampton General Hospital’s Wessex Neurological Centre will take place on Tuesday, May 26 at 10.30pm.