Dr Chris Van Tulleken is perhaps most well known as the author of 2023 New York Times bestselling book Ultra-Processed People. However, as well as working as an infectious disease and tropical medicine doctor at University College London Hospitals, and as an Associate Professor at University College London, he is also familiar to the British public for his work in the media, particularly as a television presenter. Below are just some of the many projects he has participated in.
A screenshot of Chris Van Tulleken taken from The Diary of a CEO Podcast
Chris Van Tulleken Television appearances
Dr Chris Van Tulleken has participated in many TV shows, often with his identical brother Dr Xand Van Tulleken. His most notable appearance include:
- Operation Ouch – this CBBC award winning series, primarily aimed at children, is a comedy series about the human body and what happens in hospital. Since 2012, there have been 103 episodes across 10 seasons and 1 special.
- The Dr Who Gave Up Drugs – in this two-part BBC documentary, Chris is filmed working at a GP surgery attempting to help patients find alternatives to their prescription tablets, as at the time of filming in 2016, 5 million people in the UK were on antidepressants. Outside of the UK, this documentary is also called The Doctor Who Took Kids Off Drugs.
- What Are We Feeding Our Kids? – in this 2021 BBC documentary, Chris decides to imitate 20% of the UK population and goes on a 4 week diet of eating 80% Ultra-Processed Food. Unsurprisingly, the consequences of doing this are not good. Perhaps more surprisingly, Tim Rycroft of the Food and Drink Federation openly admits in the documentary that profit is a bigger priority than public health. The British Nutrition Foundation felt the need to write a response to this documentary on their website.
- The Truth About HIV – in yet another BBC programme in 2017, Chris shares the facts of HIV as well as recent medical developments at the time. Before this programme was produced, Dr Chris Van Tulleken had won the Max Perutz award at the Royal Institute for this research into HIV in 2016.
- Medicine Men Go Wild – in this short 2008 Channel 4 series – Chris and brother Xand travel far from the beaten path to investigate health and alternative medicine in different cultures and environments.
- Surviving the Virus: My Brother and Me – this BBC documentary follows Chris and brother Xand during the Covid19 pandemic. There are some genuinely heart breaking moments during the brothers’ visit to a care home caring for patients with dementia.
Chris Van Tulleken Podcast Appearances
Dr Chris Van Tulleken has appeared on a number of podcasts – both as host and guest. His most notable contributions include:
- A Thorough Examination with Drs Chris and Xand – in this BBC produced podcast, brothers Chris Xand discuss a range of health issues, including obesity, Ultra-Processed Food, exercise and willpower. The first episode was released in May 2022.
- Fed with Chris Van Tulleken – in yet another collaboration with the BBC, Chris examines the way that we eat. The first season – titled Planet Chicken – looks into how chicken became such an important part of our modern-day diet and the miserable conditions in which chickens are now raised. The first episode was released in October 2023.
- The Naked Scientists – Chris was a guest to this show ahead of the release of his book Ultra-Processed People. As well as Ultra-Processed Food, this episode also explores the possibility of a male contraceptive drug and the composition of the planet Mars’ core. You can listen to this podcast episode on the Naked Scientists website here.
- Diary of a CEO – in an extended episode of Steven Bartlett’s podcast, Chris discusses Ultra-Processed Food, food labelling, sustainable food activism, and advocating for change. You can watch a video of this podcast episode on YouTube here.
Summary
In summary, there is no shortage of content available online featuring Dr Chris Van Tulleken. His body of work on Ultra-Processed Food and on HIV makes him an authority on these subjects. If you’re looking for even more content, you can see what he’s up to on Instagram Facebook and Twitter.