Already in October, the large-scale extreme transformation show “Operation: New Life” will be presented to TV3, to which more than 1,300 applicants applied in the application phase announced in June, among whom 88 percent were women who wanted to improve their physical disabilities.
“Beauty is an indefinable concept, so the task of the jury was by no means to look for the most unsympathetic people to make them beautiful according to generally accepted standards. But taking into account the medical possibilities and the vision of the professionals, choose from the candidates those who best fit the second part of the show title, ie for whom the set of surgeries and other activities, including psychological, counseling and show activities, can lay the foundation for a new life. ” The producer of the show Aija Strazdiņa shares the selection criteria.
Only 50 participants made it to the selection that took place in his life, who were invited to prepare a 2 to 3-minute performance in free format, which would convince him why he deserves to fulfill his dream of a new life. The jury evaluated the participant on the other side of the screen in another room, if the participant successfully coped with this task, he was invited to appear before the jury to get acquainted with the specialists and answer their questions.
The jury consisted of plastic surgery specialist Vadims Klimecs (“Lipex”), dental expert Raivis Sietnieks (“Confidential”), psychologist Inga Bērziņa and fitness trainer Zanda Zariņa-Rešetina.
Among the contenders for the show was a grandmother who had come to the screening with all eight children, a poet who recited her poetry about makeovers, a participant who was left without an ear, and a lady who had come to the show’s selection from Switzerland. Among the potential participants were also persons already acquainted on the TV screen – presenter Jeļena Gricuka, as well as Dace Bullīte, introduced to the 6th season of the show “Lauku sēta”, show participant Liene Baltruka.
The producer of the show Aija Strazdiņa talks about her experience in the selection: “The face-to-face selection turned out to be a deeply emotional experience not only for the participants, but also for the jury members, inspiring openness, both physically and psychologically. Aware that the six lucky ones, who will be given the opportunity to receive several plastic surgeries, as well as other necessary medical manipulations, and get a new, dazzling smile free of charge, will not only realize a dream that was recently unreachable, but also with their daring being exposed to the camera and the audience will serve as an example and a source of inspiration for others – the ability, not least – to be physically and, more importantly – mentally naked in front of experts is more than welcome and serves as a kind of new life possibility.
Among the participants who came to the face-to-face selection, the jury selected 18 brave ones who will be invited to the final fight, taking part in various physical and emotional tests to get among the six lucky ones who will undergo extreme transformations.
