Beauty & The Beast: Ugly Face of Prejudice

Series 1 Episode 1
First Broadcast: Wed 2 February 2011

Burns survivor Leo meets self-proclaimed beauty addict Yasmin.

When 59-year-old Leo from County Durham was 14, a fire at the shop he worked in left him with third-degree burns to his hands, face and legs. Leo survived the fire, but has since undergone over 120 different operations to rectify the damage and has been left with significant scarring. He is fiercely against the use of plastic surgery for cosmetic purposes and believes that women in particular are pressurised to attempt to emulate the physical perfection seen in the media.

Leo meets beauty addict Yasmin, who spends 40 days a year doing her make up and would rather be vain than ugly. Yasmin is desperate to have breast surgery and would also like liposuction.

With the help of Dr. Laxmi Kathuria, a psychiatrist who specialises in body image, Yasmin and Leo explore the reasons behind Yasmin's obsession with her appearance. Will their shared experience change their perceptions of each other? Will Leo manage to convince Yasmin that surgery is not the answer to her self image issues? And can the pair agree on what it truly means to be beautiful?

Throughout the series Adam Pearson, who lives with Neurofibromatosis, which has given him a facial disfigurement, investigates the level of prejudice in society and gives a voice to those normally excluded from the beauty debate. This week Adam devises his own advertising campaign and takes it to the streets to see if the British public are ready to accept a different ideal of beauty.

HELP AND SUPPORT:

For support information and a behind-the-scenes video go online to channel4.com/prejudice

    1. Leo Series 1 Episode 1 Leo and Yasmin

      Burns survivor Leo meets self-proclaimed beauty addict Yasmin.

      • Scenes of surgery and graphic images
      • This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
    2. Beauty and the Beast Series 1 Episode 2 Sarah and Susan

      Sarah claims to be Britain's most cosmetically enhanced woman. She meets Susan, who has had over 60 corrective…

      • Some graphic images and scenes of surgery
      • This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
    3. Andy & Elicia Series 1 Episode 3 Andy and Elicia

      Andy Tedder, who has Treacher Collins syndrome, meets Manchester beauty queen Elicia Davies.

      • This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
    4. Jessica and Chloe Series 1 Episode 4 Jessica and Chloe

      Can one young mum with a facial disfigurement convince a young glamour model that there is more to life than looking…

      • Some scenes of surgical procedures
      • This programme has episodes with subtitles available.
    5. Laura and Michael Series 1 Episode 5 Michael and Laura

      A budding Olympic hopeful and burns victim comes to the aid of a self-confessed beautyholic whose obsession has put her…

      • Some scenes of surgical procedures
    6. Adam & Louisa Series 1 Episode 6 Adam and Louisa

      In the final episode of the series, facially-disfigured campaigner Adam Pearson goes head-to-head with 21-year-old WAG…

      • Graphic scenes of surgery

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