PETER: THE HUMAN CYBORG

C4, 9pm

DESPITE the somewhat sensationalist and sci-fi-sounding title, this remarkable documentary is actually a very human story.

It follows pioneering scientist Peter Scott-Morgan who, after being diagnosed with the debilitating Motor Neurone Disease, decided to embark on a radical ground-breaking project to try to prolong his life and human abilities by essentially turning himself into a cyborg.

Using himself as a guinea pig and employing beyond state-of-the-art technology, artificial intelligence and medical sciences, Peter wants to become part-man, part-machine.

MND is the disease that killed Professor Stephen Hawking, and Peter is determined to do whatever he can to help himself cope as his body deteriorates, and to be able to continue to communicate even when his still active and alert mind becomes locked in his failed body.

He seeks out the world’s top experts in synthetic cloned speech, in producing lifelike controllable avatars, in advanced robotics and surgery, to help fight the inevitable.

And he’s doing all this with the constant loving support of his partner Francis. The couple have been together for 40 years, fighting against prejudice and the difficulties associated with being openly gay in the 1970s. And it’s that fighting spirit and unconditional love and togetherness that they’re both drawing on now to help them get through the toughest battle of their lives.

The programme is full of inspiring strength and resilience, and plenty of tear-jerking moments.