Plastic surgeons today condemned a Channel 5 programme which shows live cosmetic surgery as "voyeuristic and pornographic".

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) said Cosmetic Surgery Live, fronted by former chatshow host Vanessa Feltz and ex-EastEnders star Daniella Westbook, misrepresented plastic surgery with its focus on procedures such as penis enlargements using tissue from dead bodies and "anal bleaching".

BAAPS said the show undermined its efforts to promote the highest standards of personal and professional conduct among plastic surgeons.

Adam Searle, the president of BAAPs, said: "When it comes to health issues presented on television, public education and safety should come before entertainment. I am appalled by the voyeuristic and pornographic extravaganza of the new series of Cosmetic Surgery Live, and condemn it utterly."

Mr Searle criticised Channel 5 for "dumping" a programme on plastic surgery into a late night slot seemingly aimed at people coming home from the pub.

"What is Daniella Westbrook doing fronting a medical programme? The media can help to educate the public on medical matters. To turn them into a freak show is unacceptable," he said.

"It's voyeurism of the worst sort to sit and gawp at an incision being made in a breast or a penis being modified.

"The show does not portray the 'real world' of plastic surgery, and in fact does a disservice to thousands of patients who benefit from cosmetic procedures. The majority are patients embarrassed by the size of their nose or bosom to the extent that it affects every aspect of their lives."

He warned that a vulnerable minority of viewers might be enticed into having cosmetic procedures without properly considering the risks or examining their motivation.

A spokeswoman for Channel 5 said: "All New Cosmetic Surgery Live was devised to educate and inform the viewing public about revolutionary procedures from around the world, and by its nature reflects extreme surgery.

"The series explained the science behind the operations, and patient's reasons for deciding to undergo such procedures."