The show, punnily titled The Surjury, will see contestants appear in front of a 12-strong jury and attempt to convince them they are in need of plastic surgery – whether it’s a breast augmentation or a facelift.

Yes, you read that right, it beats even Naked Attraction – a dating show in which potential lovers choose each other based on their genitals – to the ultimate TV nadir.

Bluntly put, this show is immoral at best and dangerous at worst. The Surjury plays on the vulnerability of its contestants, those who are unhappy with their appearance to such an extent that they are willing to undergo potentially dangerous and life-altering surgery to rectify their perceived problems.

Caroline Flack is presenting 'what can only be described as a new low for television', writes Emily Baker. Picture: Getty Images

Caroline Flack: Cougar or cradle-snatcher - Dani Garavelli

The Surjury is, unsurprisingly, a remake of a US show of the same name, though there seems to be little trace of its existence online. Production company Gobstopper is bringing it to Channel 4, following the success of other programmes like MTV’s Just Tattoo Of Us (in which people are inked with tattoos designed for them without prior consultation) and Single AF (where reality stars invited a member of the public they fancied to live with them in a Parisian castle).

By inviting and accepting judgement of bodies not only from a jury of strangers but the contestants themselves, Channel 4 are legitimising plastic surgery as a road to happiness. It’s frivolous, trivial and a glib way to treat a serious issue.

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) also has concerns, and told i it strongly opposes the release of the show. “Any decision to have aesthetic surgery should be made entirely by the individual once they have received expert consultation and advice,” reads the statement made by the organisation.

“For this decision to be placed in the hands of a television jury is extremely reckless, to say the least. Trivialising this decision for shock value entertainment sends a dangerous and misleading message.”

Whether you are for or against plastic surgery as a concept is almost irrelevant when it comes to criticising this show. Channel 4 promises The Surjury will not glamorise cosmetic procedures in any way, but that seems entirely impossible when presented by Flack, who fronted Love Island, a programme dedicated to emphasising the very specific standards of beauty – thin, white, big boobs and long hair – we are all unfairly held to. Flack herself has never confirmed she has undergone cosmetic enhancements, despite endless rumours.

A 2018 study by campaign group Level Up, which successfully fought to ban plastic surgery ads during Love Island breaks, found that 40 per cent of 13- to 34-year-olds felt more self conscious about their bodies after watching the dating show.

One in 10 said the girls on the show made them want to get lip fillers, while 8 per cent said they considered a boob job. When Love Island sends the message that a “perfect” body can help you find love, The Surjury slots into this toxic cycle perfectly.

Since the announcement of the show, The Surjury has received a lot of backlash, with MPs dubbing it “exploitative”. It may yet surprise us and offer a nuanced, introspective discussion on plastic surgery and its place in our society. But with the team behind Just Tattoo Of Us and Caroline Flack on board, it’s highly unlikely. Who knew the bar could sink this low?

Caroline Flack's plastic surgery entertainment show a new low for television - Emily Baker