Bad Surgeon: Love Under the Knife is a chilling real-life case that explores the work and research of Paolo Macchiarini, a Swiss-born Italian thoracic surgeon who has been involved in several controversies due to his research and procedures that he carried out resulting in the death of his patients. As well as the red flags surrounding his professional career, his personal life is also a focus of the series. The story of Paolo’s relationships has also become a talking point for people interested in the case, so if you were invested in the Netflix series, you may want to take a deeper dive into the love life of the bad surgeon as we share a little more about his wife, Emanuela Pecchia.
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Who is Emanuela Pecchia?
Emanuela Pecchia is the wife of the controversial surgeon Paolo Macchiarini, and only really made it into the spotlight due to the situation surrounding her husband. Little is known about her, but it is widely reported that the couple would marry in 1986, and they are reputed to have two children, one boy and one girl.
However, it would be a scandalous affair that would throw the surgeon, his wife, and his mistress into the spotlight after Paolo would meet NBC producer Benita Alexander in February 2013.
What did Emanuela Pecchia’s husband Paolo Macchiarini do?
While working in the U.S., Paolo would meet with Benita Alexander, an American TV producer who worked on shows such as Dateline and Inside The Obama Whitehouse. The two would embark on a whirlwind romance, taking lavish holidays and seemingly becoming a perfect couple.
Image via Thrillng
However, Benita had no idea that Paolo was already married, so when he proposed, she accepted. It was only two months before they were due to be married that Benita decided to do a little digging into Paolo’s background. With the help of two private investigators, she would discover the truth about her fiancée, that he was already married with children, and she frantically called the whole thing off.
Benita would go on to further expose the surgeon and was very vocal about the terrible affair. She would reveal details about their wedding, stating that Paolo made claims of celebrity guests, including the Clintons, and having the Pope officiate at the ceremony.
Where is Emanuela Pecchia now?
Frustratingly, there is very little available information about Emanuela, and we do not know the marital status of Emanuela or Paolo. It is speculated that the wife of the disgraced surgeon may still be living in Italy, and is currently not in full-time employment.
Where is Benita Alexander now?
Benita Alexander and Paolo Macchiarini | Image via The Sun
Benita is still heavily involved in the world of entertainment and documentary-making. Benita has worked with the Investigation Discovery network for ID Now, Still a Mystery, a show she also provides the voiceover for, and Crimes Gone Viral.
In 2018, she would be the subject of the documentary He Lied About Everything, which explored the whole story of her affair with Paolo. Benita has a daughter and is reported to be living in New York.
