Inside the Transform Trial: The One Show highlights a new era in prostate cancer testing

Posted on 23 March 2026 • TV and radio

A new OU / BBC short film, Transform Trial: Prostate Cancer broadcasts within The One Show on Monday 23 March from 7pm on BBC One.

The One Show have been given exclusive access to a groundbreaking new Transform Trial. The current PSA test for prostate cancer is often inaccurate. It can miss genetic markers and misdiagnose, meaning men go through unnecessary invasive procedures. ‘Transform’ is bringing together two different methods of testing which have already undergone months of research on a small scale and appear to be more effective than the PSA test.

On the first day of the TRANSFORM trial, JB Gill is in Ealing as the first volunteers arrive to take part in the UK’s most significant prostate cancer screening study in decades. JB explores how the trial will test a new combination of tests – PSA blood tests, fast MRI scans and genetic saliva testing – to see whether they can detect life-threatening cancers more accurately than current methods.

The series was supported by Professor Francesco Crea, Professor of Cancer Pharmacology, who provided the academic expertise for the programme.

My lab at the OU works on developing precision treatments for advanced prostate cancer. We work with Prostate Cancer UK, which supports our research and the Transform trial, aiming to identify a precision diagnostic tool. This was the link between my expertise and the show. The team’s support allows academics to impact broader society, and I am proud of our contribution to public understanding of Transform. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, disproportionately affects Black people, and is diagnosed later in economically deprived areas. Raising awareness and finding a more precise diagnosis will have a positive societal impact.

Supporting Online content:

Visit our Broadcast & Partnerships site OU Connect where you can explore our interactive about how genes and biology can affect cancer risk.

This series was commissioned by Broadcast & Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), with particular relevance to R87 BSc Biomedical Sciences, Q71 BSc Health Sciences, R58 BSc Biology and Q64 BSc Natural Sciences (Biology).

Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Director, Broadcast & Partnerships

• Academic Consultant: Professor Francesco Crea

• Media Fellow: Dr Zhraa Alhaboby

• Broadcast Project Manager: Laura Connor

• Supporting Online Content: Steff Easom

Image Credit: BBC