The Supervet

The Supervet
Genre	Factual entertainment
Directed by	James Incledon (2014) Chris Rowe (2014–15) Phil Broadhurst (2015)
Narrated by	Sally Phillips (2014) Rebecca Front (2014—)
Composer(s)	Chris White (2014) Wayne Roberts (2014–15)
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
Production
Executive producer(s)	Edmund Coulthard Alex Sutherland Alistair Pegg Nick Shearman
Location(s)	Fitzpatrick Referrals Ltd, Eashing, Surrey
Running time	60 minutes (inc. adverts)
Production company(s)	Blast! Films
Release
Original network	Channel 4
Original release	7 May 2014 – present
Chronology
Related shows	The Bionic Vet
External links
The Supervet Website
Blast! Films Production website

The Supervet is a Channel 4 television series following the work of vet Noel Fitzpatrick and his team at Fitzpatrick Referrals in Eashing, Surrey. The series sees Noel work on some of the hardest-to-cure pets from across the country receive cutting-edge treatments and surgery from Noel and his team, as they attempt to cure pets that might otherwise be beyond saving.^[1][2][3]

Filmed using fixed rig cameras in the clinic's waiting room, reception and prep area, the programme captures the raw emotion, drama and playfulness of Noel and his staff as they treat the pets in their care.

Episodes

Transmissions

Series	Start date	End date	Episodes
1	7 May 2014	28 May 2014	4
2	15 October 2014	5 November 2014	4
Christmas special	16 December 2014		1
3	5 March 2015	23 April 2015	7
In the Field	12 August 2015	19 August 2015	2
4	25 November 2015	15 December 2015	4
Christmas special	22 December 2015		1
5	2 February 2016	2016

• NOTE: Series 4 was a spin-off series Supervet in the Field, a two-part series.

Series 1

#	Title	Original airdate
1	"Scooby, Tiger and Otis"	7 May 2014
The episode starts by catching up with a familiar face as Oscar the cat drops by the clinic for some new footwear. Bacus the French Bulldog with a severe limp is in need of a pair of tights to aid his recovery. Otis was found collapsed and bleeding in the snow and brought in to the clinic by a charity to see if anything could be done to salvage his broken leg. The team have to work to bring Tiger back from the brink of death after suffering a cardiac arrest and we discover whether anything can be done Scooby and his family after it is discovered that he is suffering from a potentially life-threatening bone tumour.[4][5][6][7][8]
2	"Rufus, Dixie and Daphne"	14 May 2014
Noel operates on Rufus the rabbit who has a badly broken hind leg. Dixie the cocker spaniel needs major spinal surgery, and Noel looks to XMen’s Wolverine for inspiration as he treats Daphne - a three-legged dog adopted from Thailand.[9]
3	"Jasper, Mojo and Lolli"	21 May 2014
A young puppy called Jasper arrives at the clinic after his owners notice his forelimbs are growing in the wrong direction. Noel needs to perform surgery quickly if he is to correct Jasper’s condition, however things don’t go as smoothly as they could. Lolli the cat has suffered a significant injury to her pelvis after going missing for 7 days. Mojo presents to the clinic with wobbly, a condition caused by compression of the spinal cord making him unsteady on his feet.[10]
4	"Pixie and Ellie"	28 May 2014
Pixie, a 12-year-old cat, presents to the clinic after being hit by a car. Tessa’s owners have to make a very tough decision after she is diagnosed with a severe bone tumour in her front leg, and Ellie is in need of one of Noel’s pioneering inventions the FITS (Fitz Inter-Vertebral Traction Screw) to help her overcome a severe neck problem.[11]

Series 2

#	Title	Original airdate
1	"Schrodinger, Lois and Flossie"	15 October 2014
Schrodinger, an 11-year-old cat, has been brought into the clinic after shattering his thigh bone following a car accident. Lois, an English Bulldog is placed on a weightloss plan in an attempt to avoid further knee surgery and Flossie is rushed into the clinic after suddenly losing control of her back legs.[12][13][14][15][16]
2	"Frankie and Emily"	22 October 2014
Willow, a 10-month-old medical alert dog, has had to put his training on hold while Noel performs a total hip replacement. Noel needs to take inspiration from an ice-cream scoop to help Frankie a mischievous Dachshund with a deformed front foot. Tough decisions need to be made by the owners of Emily, an 8-year-old Shi-Tzu who comes to see Noel due to her bizarre walk.[17][18]
3	"Lara the Cat and Chief the Husky"	29 October 2014
Two emergencies in the clinic this week. Lara the cat is rushed in with a serious fracture after being hit by a car and then attacked by a fox. Meanwhile, Chief, a 7-year-old Northern Inuit, has dislocated his hip while his owners were away on holiday. Chief’s owners cannot afford the cost of a hip replacement and have to decide whether to put Chief to sleep. This episode also sees Noel operate on colleague Susan’s 12-year-old Spaniel Bertie.[19]
4	"Ira, Tom and Marley"	5 November 2014
Ira’s owner Joyce notice he was dragging his feet when out walking, and what seemed like a minor problem turned out to need a bionic solution. Noel has to decide whether surgical resident Miguel is ready to tackle Marley’s challenging fracture. Tom, an anxious French Bulldog needs treatment to relieve the compression on his spinal cord, but first Noel must find a way to relax both Tom and his owner.[20]

Christmas special

#	Title	Original airdate
1	"Christmas in the Clinic"	16 December 2014
In this Christmas Special we catch-up with some of the pets from the last two series and find out what has happened to Scooby, Jasper and Pixie. We are also introduced to Fievel, a 16-month-old Labrador, who needs a total hip replacement on both sides and that is only the beginning as Fievel is set to become Fitzpatrick’s longest-term patient.[21][22]

Series 3

#	Title	Original airdate
1	"Otto, Elvis & Gucci"	5 March 2015
German Shepherd, Otto, has a life threatening tumour and Noel hopes that a bionic implant will prolong Otto’s life long enough to see his owners’ wedding day. Elvis, a Rottweiler puppy, is having trouble walking and Noel notices that there something wrong with his spine. Surgery carries major risks and Noel will have to improvise leaving him uncertain as to whether operating is the right thing to do. Pomeranian puppy Gucci has broken her paw after only 48 hours in her new home requiring Noel to perform delicate surgery on the mischievous puppy.[23]
2	"Stampy, Dylan & Lilly-Belle"	12 March 2015
Cavachon Stampy has been hit by a car and is in a critical conditions. Owners Jim and Karen have to decide whether to put their pet through painful surgery, or let him go. Stuart, the owner of Golden retriever Dylan, has driven seven hours to seek Noel’s advice after his pet has developed a limp. Meanwhile, Lilly-Belle, a most beloved dachshund from Chelsea, arrives at the clinic after losing the use of her back legs.
3	"Diamond, Sweetie, Hopity & Dandi"	19 March 2015
An owner brings her two Poodles to the clinic as one is in need of a total hip replacement and the other a new knee. Noel operates on both dogs not finishing until 3am. A tiny 12-week old Kitten called Hopity has a deformed back leg that she could end up losing, and Dandi, a five-month old German Shepherd has a deformity in both front legs. Heartbreakingly, one of them fails to survive.
4	"Loki, Willow & Faberge"	2 April 2015
Former employee Micha brings her Bengal cat, Loki, into the clinic. A hit from a car has resulted in severe damage to both hind legs. Noel will only know whether he can save Loki once the operation is underway. Meanwhile, Willow, a deerhound, has broken her neck while out walking. It is the worse break Noel has seen. Unfortunately, Noel has already been operating for 11 hours; he is exhausted, sleep deprived and unsure whether he can perform the necessary procedure. Faberge, a Chinese crested dog suffering with seizure, is brought in for investigations.
5	"Speedy, Snoopy & Winston"	9 April 2015
Noel is faced with the smallest bone he has ever operated on when baby rabbit Speedy breaks his leg after a fight with his female companion. An emergency arrives in the form of Winston the English Bulldog who is suffering with a mysterious paralysis. Snoopy has been run over by a delivery van and Noel cannot save his paw. Can Noel give Snoopy a bionic paw instead? Heartbreakingly, one of them fails to survive.
6	"Dolly, Anya & Lola"	16 April 2015
Dolly, a rescued 4-year-old Bulldog, is having trouble with all four of her legs and is in need of multiple surgeries. To make matters worse a cancerous lump is discovered. Police dog Anya has damaged her spine and must be returned to her full working capacity otherwise she will need to be put down. Noel uses two of his custom inventions in an effort to reverse the damage. Lola, an adopted greyhound has a mystery problem with her feet. Noel uses a ‘state-of-the-art’ diagnostic tool – his toothbrush – to help him find the answer.
7	"Cyrus, Ghost, Bella & Bucklesbury Bear"	23 April 2015
Cyrus, an Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog, is having trouble with all four legs presenting a moral dilemma for his owners. Bucklersbury Bear, a huge Newfoundland, finds a new lease of life in the hydrotherapy pool after undergoing a leg amputation to remove an Osteosarcoma. Puppy Ghost is lame on his front legs and need Noel to find out why. Veterinary neurologist Clare Rusbridge sees Bella, a Maltese terrier cross bichon frise, who is in great distress, unable to stand and hyperventilating as a result of a serious brain disease.

Series 4 (Supervet in the Field)

#	Title	Original airdate
1	"Supervet in the Field – Part 1"	12 August 2015
Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick leaves the confines of his referral clinic to host a dog festival to celebrate the bond of unconditional love between humans and dogs. There is a ‘guess the weight of your dog’ stall, and puppy-training classes. Noel is also reunited with some of his most challenging patients. Obi, the labrador, is a calming companion for his six-year-old owner with Asperger's syndrome. Noel forms a rare emotional connection with Obi’s young owner and consequently finds it hard to focus on Obi’s surgery. Another of Noel’s patients, Sox the Great Dane, is in terrible pain and in need of a replacement spinal disc that Noel has spent years developing. We also meet Leo, a PAT dog, whose visits to Becky in hospital helped her recovery.

Awards

The Supervet was shortlisted for the 2014 TV Choice Awards in the category of Best Factual Entertainment and Lifestyle Show.^[24]

References

1. IMDb. "The Supervet (TV series)". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
2. Malone, Carole (1 June 2014). "TV Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick on amazing animal treatments: I'm an addict - it's my cocaine". The Mirror. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
3. Stevens, Christopher (25 April 2014). "A miracle for Monty: Meet the pioneering vet who saves the lives of animals other vets would put to sleep - including Monty Don's beloved dog Nigel". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
4. Fitzpatrick Referrals, The Supervet. "Episode Guide". Retrieved 19 December 2014.
5. Channel 4, The Supervet. "Episode Guide". Retrieved 19 December 2014.
6. Hewett, Emily (7 May 2014). "Best show ever? Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick has the nation in tears as he gives pets a second chance in ‘incredible’ scenes". The Metro. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
7. IMDb, The Supervet. "S1E1 Scooby, Tiger and Otis". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
8. Austin, Ellie (7 May 2014). "Supervet Noel Fitzpatrick: "I walk a moral tightrope between life and death"". The Radio Times. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
9. IMDb, The Supervet. "S1E2 Rufus, Dixie and Daphne". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
10. IMDb, The Supervet. "S1E3 Jasper, Mojo and Lolli". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
11. IMDb, The Supervet. "S1E4 Pixie and Ellie". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
12. Fitzpatrick Referrals, The Supervet. "Episode Guide". Retrieved 19 December 2014.
13. Channel 4, The Supervet. "Episode Guide". Retrieved 19 December 2014.
14. IMDb, The Supervet. "S2E1 Schrodinger, Lois and Flossie". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
15. Stevens, Christopher (15 October 2014). "The vet who heals injured pets...and broken human hearts: CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews last night's TV". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
16. Tate, Gabriel (15 October 2014). "The Supervet review, Channel 4: 'cosy'". The Telegraph. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
17. IMDb, The Supervet. "S2E2 Frankie and Emily". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
18. Scun, David (22 October 2014). "The Supervet on Channel 4 tonight with Noel Fitzpatrick helping shih-tzu Emily from Bognor Regis, a dachshund called Frankie & a labrador". Scunthorpe Telegraph. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
19. IMDb, The Supervet. "S2E3 Lara the Cat and Chief the Husky". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
20. IMDb, The Supervet. "S2E4 Ira, Tom and Marley". Retrieved 21 December 2014.
21. Fitzpatrick Referrals, The Supervet. "Episode Guide". Retrieved 19 December 2014.
22. Channel 4, The Supervet. "Episode Guide". Retrieved 19 December 2014.
23. Collins, Mark. "Client Newsflash: February 2015 - The Supervet returns to Channel 4 with brand new six-part series airing from 5th March at 8.00pm". Mark Collins PR. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
24. Denham, Jess (9 July 2014). "TV Choice Awards 2014 shortlist: Benedict Cumberbatch and David Tennant do battle". The Independent. Retrieved 19 December 2014.

External links

• Channel 4 Programmes The Supervet
• Fitzpatrick Referrals