Jameela Jamil Reignites Caroline Flack Spat Over Controversial Surgery Show

The Good Place actor had previously compared the Love Island host's new Channel 4 series to Black Mirror.
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Jameela Jamil has reignited her online spat with Caroline Flack over the Love Island host’s controversial new surgery show. 

Days after their previous clash on Twitter, the Good Place star tweeted Caroline explaining why she had compared her new Channel 4 series The Surjury to dystopian drama Black Mirror

Jameela said that the show – which will see participants trying to convince a jury that they should receive free plastic surgery – “will prey on people’s insecurities”. 

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Jameela Jamil
Amy Sussman via Getty Images

After seeing a tweet from a doctor who claimed they’d turned down the chance to be part of the show over ethical concerns, Jameela tweeted: “This is why I said it was like Black Mirror @carolineflack1. Because it’s a VERY surreal concept that (perhaps unintentionally) will prey on people’s insecurities.

“I think of the effect on teenagers of the messaging of this. Fingers crossed it doesn’t affect anyone negatively.”

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Caroline Flack
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Caroline hit back defending the show and its participants, who she said did not deserve to be “ridiculed online”. 

She tweeted: “As you know self image is a complicated, sensitive and personal subject.

“At the heart of this show are people not contestants who have sought help to want to better them selves in their own eyes. Their stories deserve to be told and not ridiculed online.”

Jameela, who is a body-positive campaigner, also engaged in debate with some of her followers over how she raised the point with Caroline, but insisted the Love Island star was the one who’d “come for her”. 

“I didn’t go for Caroline. I said the show sounded like black mirror, and Caroline came for me over it,” she said. “I was not criticising her. She didn’t create the show.

“I hope it doesn’t cause adverse effects on young people. Reality Tv is so insane these days. A jury judging bodies is wild.”

In the tweet that originally kicked things off last week, Jameela shared a link to an article titiled “Caroline Flack’s The Surjury Is A New Low For Television”, commenting: “Black Mirror is officially happening guys. It’s here.”

Hitting back on Friday morning, Caroline pointed out that the show hasn’t even aired, tweeting to Jameela: “Have you managed to see a copy before me? Please forward. [I’m] desperate to see [it].” 

Channel 4 previously defended the show shortly after it was announced, telling The Sun: “Rather than wag a disapproving finger, this new series looks at who wants it, and why – and allows those who make a strong enough case to their peers, to undergo the procedure of their choice.

“The show will neither glamorise nor condemn their choices: the aim is instead to interrogate the realities.”

They also pointed out that everyone featured on the show had already “actively been seeking surgery of their own accord”. 

Caroline and Jameela have already clashed once before, when the latter criticised the lack of body diversity on Love Island.

Responding to Jameela’s criticism, Caroline previously said: “I’m a massive fan of Jameela and what she stands for.

“Of course, people will look at things on face value and judge them, but the show is so much more than that, it really is.”