Tahir Alhamzah
TV3 programme Helo Doktor is now in its sixth season.
Co-producer Irin Putri Azmi says the show's strength lies in its casual approach to discussing health topics.
The current season, which kicked off earlier this year, features three new segments: Doctor in The House, Diari Doktor and Fakta Atau Mitos.
"For the Doctor In The House segment, we roped in social media celebrity and medical officer Dr Malar Santhi Santherasegapan (better known as Dr Malar) to share tips on handling medical emergencies and first aid," says Irin.
In the Diari Doktor segment, viewers will get a glimpse into the daily routines of the selected personality for each episode.
"Meanwhile, in the third segment Fakta Atau Mitos, we consult medical specialists to debunk medical myths or dig deeper into the featured health issue."
Irin says one of the challenges for the team is ensuring that the featured health issues are not too overwhelming for the audience.
"If our hosts and guests have discussions that are too technical, viewers may lose interest, or worse, they wouldn't be able to grasp anything."
She adds that apart from the content and delivery, the language used is also important.
"This is where the hosts need to play their part."
For this season, Helo Doktor is hosted by Anim Ezati Rizki, Nadia Azmi and Adriana Adnan.
Helo Doktor's trio
"While Anim returns to host the show for the fifth time, the other two were selected through auditions.
"Besides having a pleasant appearance, all three of them have a delivery style that is appropriate for this show," explains Irin.
Anim, who also hosts Malaysia Hari Ini and Sembang Sahur, believes in not getting too comfortable with any topic.
"I try not to get too excited if I happen to be discussing a subject that I know a little bit more about.
"There's a risk of getting carried away if you get too personal and you may lose viewers' interest.
"That's the challenge, for you to know enough to be able to grasp the topic, and yet ensure viewers, who are of various backgrounds, can follow the discussions well," shares Anim, 31.
She adds that hosting various programmes also requires her to adapt her presentation style accordingly, ensuring that she delivers in a manner suitable for each specific show.
Her colleague Nadia concurs.
"Being a newscaster, when on the show, I have to be mindful of not sounding too formal, as if I was reading the news," says the 36-year-old, who reads both the Nightline and Buletin Utama news editions.
Nadia needed to make adjustments when hosting Helo Doktor.
"I'm used to interviewing guests on heavier subjects, such as politics. So having to make my conversations lighter on the show is a task I'm still getting used to."
Nadia is more used to English, so hosting Helo Doktor in Malay is also something new.
Fellow host Adriana, 28, on the other hand, who has experience in hosting entertainment and lifestyle shows, says she too needs to challenge herself by trying her hand at something more serious.
"I've always wanted to try something new. This is a good chance for me.
"If possible, for each new project, I want to try something that I'm not familiar with," says Adriana, who is also an actress.
She acted opposite Syafiq Kyle in the 10-episode drama series Seribu Nina, a Viu Original released last May.
In the drama series with the premise akin to Everything Everywhere All At Once, she played eight different characters, including a warrior, a gangster, a madwoman, and a cannibal.
Anim says hosting Helo Doktor has helped personally.
After giving birth to her daughter in 2020, she gained a bit of weight, but found it hard to shed the kilos.
"I was also having health issues, like GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and fatty liver.
"It was during an episode, when we were discussing bariatric surgery, that the guest doctor asked if I had any health problems and suggested that I give the procedure some thought," shares Anim, who lost 25kg after six months of doing the procedure.
"I undertook the procedure to deal with my health issues. Shedding the extra kilos was a bonus," she explains.
Anim says many people have the misconception that the procedure is purely cosmetic and she hopes by sharing her story, people would get the right information, especially those facing health issues that the procedure could help.
Helo Doktor is aired live every Sunday at 5pm on TV3.