Working as an ADHD coach, as someone who is AuDHD myself, and after twenty years in television, this one feels genuinely painful.
What we know about the programme and Dr Max Pemberton
Having spent over twenty years in television, I want to tell you what I actually think when a programme like this gets commissioned. So far, what we know is that an NHS psychiatrist, Dr Max Pemberton, faked having ADHD, managed to get the diagnosis, and then proceeded to talk about what the drug does to his brain. Listen, I have worked in the TV industry, and I can see how that title is effective: it’s click bait, and, of course, it will bring in the viewers. But, from what I have heard about the show so far, it doesn’t feel particularly evidence-based; it feels like that has disappeared for the sake of good ratings.
I am not saying that the process for ADHD diagnosis wouldn’t welcome a review and an update, I don’t think anyone disagrees with that. What is so hurtful about this is that so many people with ADHD have to deal with the stigma of having it, alongside not being believed, being told they are jumping on the bandwagon, and being told that “everyone is a bit ADHD”. No, they are not by the way. If you have grown up feeling slightly different, not fitting into societal norms, having to mask constantly to appear “normal,” living it every second of everyday, why on earth would you just make it up? It’s hard, and having a diagnosis provides relief and an understanding of why it was like that growing up. It’s not a badge of honour, it’s not something you pat yourself on your back for.
Why the title matters
What has really upset me (as I have yet to see the programme) is the title, and how damaging it is. Really, Minnow Films/Channel 4?! A question mark lets a broadcaster/indie company print a claim it wouldn’t stand behind as a statement, while still getting every bit of the reaction a statement would generate. Channel 4’s own defence of the title, when challenged, was that it’s designed to prompt debate rather than assert an answer. I don’t think anyone chooses that framing by accident, and I don’t think anyone scrolling past will pause to appreciate the grammar. Come on, stop taking us for fools, please.
What the precedent tells us
We have a recent precedent for what this kind of framing actually does once it’s out in the world. A 2023 documentary on private ADHD clinics prompted a large survey of people with the condition, and the results weren’t subtle: the overwhelming majority reported feeling more stigmatised afterwards, and most said it would make them less likely to pursue an assessment. That’s the real cost of a title like that. It isn’t measured in ratings, it’s measured in the person who was already on the fence about calling their GP, now deciding to cope on their own a little bit longer.
The programme airs on 18 August. I’ll watch it closely, because I want to fully understand what’s being said, and I am sure I will write another blog post about it. But I wanted to write this before the broadcast, not after, because I don’t want a single person to spend even one second wondering if their ADHD diagnosis is less valid because a television company needed a headline for some ratings. In the meantime, ADHD UK (https://adhduk.co.uk/challenging-c4-the-great-adhd-myth/) and Global ADHD Network (https://www.globaladhdnetwork.com/post/the-great-adhd-myth-statement) have sent letters to Channel 4 and made statements worth reviewing.
What to do if ADHD affects you
If you think you might have ADHD, reach out to your GP to talk about an assessment, or get in touch with me if you’d like support figuring out your next steps.
Your experience is valid regardless of what one TV title suggests. If this programme leaves you doubting yourself, please don’t let it stop you from seeking answers!