Channel 4 faces backlash over ‘most controversial show of the year’
An ADHD charity has called for the public to complain about Channel 4‘s latest documentary to Ofcom after its presenter labelled the disorder a “social construct”. The Great ADHD Myth?, which aired last night (Tuesday 18 August) on Channel 4, sees presenter and NHS psychiatrist Max Pemberton speak to medical professionals who are sceptical about Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) being a legitimate medical condition, particularly in young children. ADHD is recognised by the NHS as a condition where those affected struggle to concentrate or sit still. Symptoms can include having high energy levels, getting easily distracted, being forgetful, losing things often and finding it hard to organise your time. However, Pemberton’s documentary questions whether ADHD is a neuro-developmental disorder, how it should be treated and who benefits from the rise in diagnoses over the last few years. It also conducts an experiment which sees 10-year-old Mason stop taking his ADHD medication, which he has taken for two years, over a six-week period to see whether consuming less sugar, banning screen time and introducing yoga helps instead. …
