Profile

Dr. Pixie Mckenna presents Channel 4’s prime time smash, Embarrassing Bodies, along with fellow co-presenters, Christian and Priya. Pixie has been a part of the show since its beginning – it has been a phenomenal success, and is now in its third series, it has just won its first BAFTA and attracts in excess of 3.5 million viewers. As well as presenting EB, Pixie is also the doctor on BBC 3’s Freaky Eaters, now in its second series.

Biography

Pixie graduated from University College Cork Medical school in 1995. Following a year of medical and surgical internship in Ireland she joined Cambridge Vocational Training Scheme in general practice. This involved a 3 years hospital training at Addenbrookes Hospital Cambridge in medicine, surgery, general practice, care of the elderly, gynaecology, rheumatology, rehabilitation medicine and paediatrics .In 1999 she obtained her certificate in General Practice training and Membership of the Royal college of General Practitioners.

Following a year as a GP at her fathers practice in Ireland and as student doctor at her alma mater University College Cork, Pixie returned to the UK in 2000.Over the next 5 years she gained a variety of General Practice experience, in corporate healthcare in the city in London, as a private GP on Harley St and a traditional family doctor role in Notting Hill. On her fathers retirement in 2005 she returned to Cork on a part time basis to work at the family practice. Pixie now divides her time between her home town of Cork where she runs her own practice and her London clinic in Baker Street.

Throughout her general practice career she has held NHS posts in Dermatology and Sexual Health at large London teaching hospitals. She also holds post graduate qualifications in Obstetrics, Gynaecology, Dermatology and Pediatrics. 

Her media career began in 2006 when she was asked to be the onscreen doctor in BBC3s Freaky Eaters series, the second series of which aired in early 2008. She is probably best know for her role in channel 4s primetime medical series "Embarrassing Illnesses", now in its third series. When she’s not busy with her clinical commitments and media work, Pixie can be found strolling, punting or cycling around her UK base Cambridge or sailing around the west coast of cork.

Pixie comes a family background of Medicine, being the 3rd generation of doctors in her family but only the first female medic! Having studied speech and drama from the age of 5 she is an accomplished speaker on a variety of medical topics with sexual health, dermatology, women’s health and health promotion being her specific interests.

She has just begun work on her first book, due for publication in 2010.

Updated 15/10/2009