Coronation Street's new storyline sparks health warning from experts

Coronation Street is set to air a storyline based on a significant health issue that experts are urging viewers to see as a warning. The ITV soap will introduce a new plot this week, focusing on the dangers of undergoing plastic surgery abroad.

The storyline centres around beloved character Bethany Platt, portrayed by Lucy Fallon, who faces life-altering consequences following her decision to have cosmetic surgery overseas. Viewers will see Bethany take up a job for a cosmetic surgery firm to write an advertorial piece about its new Turkish facility.

She chooses to have liposuction at the clinic, but the procedure goes wrong, leaving her in a critical state. Bethany's mum Sarah-Louise (Tina O'Brien) is there at her bedside in hospital when her life changes forever.

Following the botched operation, she develops sepsis and is informed she'll have to live with a permanent stoma, reports the Express. This storyline comes as studies indicate a substantial increase in UK patients seeking corrective treatments for botched cosmetic surgeries performed abroad.

Data from a 2023 study published by The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) revealed that the number of people requiring hospital treatment in Britain after having surgery abroad had risen by 94% over three years. The statistics also showed that procedures conducted in Turkey accounted for more than three quarters.

The study pointed out an increasing trend of individuals returning to the UK with various healthcare issues, including complications in wound healing and severe sepsis cases that pose serious risks. A statistic reveals that about 200,000 people in the UK (1 in 335) live with a stoma.

Each year, the NHS performs between 13,500 to 21,000