Katy Morgan's Triumph Over Surgeon's Gag Order
Katy Morgan is a woman of unyielding resolve, her commitment to justice fortified by an indomitable spirit. When a Harley Street surgeon offered her a 'goodwill' payment on the condition she remain silent about complications from a breast enhancement procedure, she was outraged. Katy alleges that Dr Riccardo Frati, who styles himself as the 'surgeon to the stars' and boasts the flashy moniker Boob God, abandoned her without proper aftercare while she endured 'indescribable' pain from an infection following surgery to augment and lift her breasts.
Even more egregious, Katy contends, was his cynical attempt to safeguard his professional reputation by seeking to silence her. After falling ill and while still disoriented from treatment at an NHS hospital for the post-operative infection, she was pressured by Frati to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). This document forbade her from making any negative comments about his professional competence or complaining to his regulator, the General Medical Council (GMC).
Although she appears to have signed the NDA, Katy recalls, 'My memory of this is all very hazy. I was too sick at the time to be aware of what I was agreeing to.' Now, after a grueling two-and-a-half-year legal battle, she has successfully overturned a temporary court order that had muzzled her from speaking out about her treatment.
Legal Victory and Ongoing Struggle
At Manchester Civil Justice Centre three weeks ago, Judge Ivan Ranson ruled in Katy's favor, also ordering Dr Frati to cover her legal costs of £20,548.72. The judge heard from her legal team that she was 'the only person in the whole world' unable to comment on the case. Katy Morgan, a 32-year-old entrepreneur, model, and single mother of two from Cheshire, is a fierce advocate for women who feel 'shamed' into silence.
In an exclusive interview, she emphasizes that she is speaking out not only for herself but also on behalf of countless women she believes are 'intimidated into submission by powerful men.' 'If I'd had a botched knee replacement, it would have been handled very differently,' she asserts. 'But women who have cosmetic procedures are considered to be at fault because they've chosen to have surgery. No. Actually, I trusted a surgeon who then made matters worse by trying to sue me to stop me having a voice.'
Katy describes Frati as considering himself unanswerable and attempting to scare her into silence. 'Well, he picked on the wrong woman. I'm strong-willed and stubborn. It's my body and he cannot tell me not to speak about it,' she declares.
Background and Surgery Details
Katy, who has two sons, Hayden, 11, and Remi, five—the younger by Birmingham City footballer Demarai Gray—opted for surgery to 'restore my self-confidence' after breastfeeding increased her bust size from 34D to 34G. As a fashion and lingerie model with 180,000 TikTok followers at the time, she explains, 'I just wanted my perky, pre-pregnancy boobs back.'
Drawing on her earlier career in sales, she was diligent in selecting a surgeon, noting that all of Frati's reviews were positive. She now suspects this was because critics had been silenced. 'I decided on a Harley Street surgeon because I thought it was a world-renowned centre of medical excellence. I'd read interviews with celebrities who called Frati Boob God,' she says.
Dr Frati earned his nickname after reportedly creating the largest breast implants permitted in the UK for former Big Brother contestant Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace and operating on The Only Way Is Essex star Gemma Collins. He frequently appeared in media, warning against cut-price surgery abroad and claiming to correct errors.
Consultation and Procedure
Katy's first in-person consultation with Frati occurred shortly before the surgery at his London clinic on April 27, 2021. She had previously explained via video call that she did not desire large breasts, only wanting to restore her pre-pregnancy appearance. Meeting him, she recalls, 'He was very pushy about making them big. I took my top off and he said, 'This is what I suggest'. He wanted to put in implants of between 450cc and 475cc.'
She found him 'cold' and 'not very engaged,' with a demeanor that suggested, 'I'm the surgeon. Listen to me because I know best.' Feeling rushed, she rationalized, 'He's very busy.' Katy requested filming the surgery for her blog to ensure correctness, but he refused.
The day procedure cost £8,500, with an additional £350 in cash required for the anaesthetist. She drove herself from her home in Milton Keynes to Harley Street for the morning surgery, was under anaesthetic for an hour, and alleges that aftercare was non-existent. 'Afterwards, they checked my blood pressure and said as soon as I felt OK I was free to leave. I wasn't even offered a drink. I didn't see Frati,' she claims.
Frati argues he emailed aftercare instructions, but Katy says, 'I can find no record of them, and no one told me not to drive home.' Eager to return to her children, she drove home that afternoon, though she does not remember the journey.
Complications and Infection
In the following weeks, Katy experienced acute pain, feeling as if 'a car had run over my chest.' On June 9, 2021, she developed a fever and felt drowsy. After dropping her sons at school and nursery, she drove to a friend's house, feeling dizzy and delirious. She messaged Frati, was told to go to A&E, and then passed out.
Her friend called 999, and she was taken by ambulance to Milton Keynes University Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a staphylococcus infection around the right implant. This bacterial skin infection, if untreated, can lead to cardiac arrest. An NHS breast care consultant contacted Frati, who advised washing the implant and reinserting it, which was followed.
Katy was in severe pain and fear, worrying she might die and leave her sons motherless. Around this time, the NDA arrived from Frati's office, which she signed while on high doses of painkillers. 'My memory of this is very hazy and I did not know what I was agreeing to,' she states.
NDA Terms and Further Health Issues
The NDA stipulated an ex-gratia payment of £8,500 to Katy, which she received, in exchange for making 'no negative comment' to the press or on social media that might imply disappointment or criticism of Frati's services. It also prohibited her from disclosing information to professional regulators.
In late June 2021, she developed necrosis in her right breast, a life-threatening complication where cells die. She contacted Frati, but he canceled an appointment, leaving the NHS to manage the infection. 'There was a suppurating wound in my breast. The pain was indescribable,' she recounts. Her sons had to accompany her in an ambulance, with her elder son asking, 'Mummy, are you going to die?'
At the hospital, her breast was aspirated, draining syringes of yellow liquid. Katy videoed this procedure, which later became pivotal.
Legal Battle and Public Outcry
In August 2023, when a friend considered breast surgery, Katy felt compelled to warn others. She posted the video of her breast aspiration on TikTok, where it went viral, prompting numerous women to contact her. A week later, she received legal documents from Frati's lawyers via motorcycle courier, alleging she had breached the NDA.
Katy attended court alone, facing Frati's 'intimidating' legal team without representation. 'I was already on medication for anxiety. I felt very frightened, as if my voice had been silenced and my human rights taken away,' she says. The judge awarded Frati a temporary court order to enforce the NDA, forcing her to remove the TikTok video and close her account, losing her following.
Determined to fight back, she sought legal help through the Free Speech Union, with chief legal counsel Bryn Harris taking up her case. With solicitor Elliot Hammer from Branch Austin McCormick, she set up a crowd-funding page to cover legal costs. Although the temporary order was lifted at a second hearing, the legal action continues.
Current Status and Broader Implications
Dr Frati still contends she breached the NDA, and a hearing on February 9 will determine if there will be a trial or if Katy's application to have the claim dismissed succeeds. Meanwhile, cosmetic surgery provider MYA confirmed to the Daily Mail that it removed Dr Frati as an operating surgeon in June last year after he was suspended from the First Trust Hospital in Preston due to an investigation into another patient's care.
According to his website, Dr Frati continues to practice in London, Manchester, and Dubai, though his office declined to comment. The GMC has confirmed he is not subject to disciplinary hearings and faces no restrictions on practicing. There is no suggestion that Katy's infections resulted from clinical negligence.
Dr Frati's legal representative states, 'He categorically denies the allegations, which are the subject of ongoing legal and regulatory proceedings. They are disputed and have not been determined by any court or regulator. The recent court hearing concerned interim and procedural issues only. No findings were made on the merits of any allegations, which remain to be determined through the proper legal process. At no stage has Dr Frati sought to prevent a patient from talking to a regulator or other governing authority.'
Ongoing Health and Financial Impact
Katy's post-operative problems persist: 'I still have a constant, dull ache in my breasts. There's a lot of scar tissue and I need revision surgery which could cost £20,000.' She has lost 70% of her income, cannot model lingerie or bikinis due to scars and improperly sitting implants, and feels like 'a shell of myself.'
Her confidence has plummeted, affecting her personal life. 'Whenever I have sex now it has to be in the dark or with a top on. I'm so self-conscious. My natural self was far better than what I have now,' she admits.
Despite these challenges, Katy remains resolute. 'No amount of money would make me shut up about this. You couldn't write the cheque that would make it acceptable. When I feel someone has done me wrong I will stick it out until the end,' she vows, determined to retain her freedom to speak out.
