Plot Synopsis

World-renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Richard Shepherd reveals the truth behind the controversial deaths of celebrities, separating fact from fiction. Their full stories comes into focus when crucial autopsy evidence is exposed and Dr. Shepherd finds out what killed the stars and exactly how they died, while interviews with those who loved them and worked with them shed light on the decisions that set these global superstars on their final path. In each one-hour episode of AUTOPSY: THE LAST HOURS OF..., Dr. Shepherd explores the case of one celebrity, including Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson and Anna Nicole Smith. Five months after debuting on Channel 5 in the UK, ReelzChannel aired the U.S. premiere of this series on Saturday, June 14, 2014 at 8pm PT/5pm ET. AUTOPSY: THE LAST HOURS OF... returned for its second season in the United States on Saturday, January 30, 2016 at 9pm ET/6pm PT. The season opener chronicled the life and death of Natalie Wood, Hollywood's hottest actress for a generation. She went from child star to movie star to like she was born to be on camera and became an A-list celebrity. She married screen legend Robert Wagner -- not once but twice -- making them the Hollywood dream couple, enjoying a spectacular lifestyle. But on November 29, 1981, during what was supposed to be a relaxed weekend sailing trip, 43-year-old Natalie was found dead. The cause of death was officially certified as "accidental drowning," but why Natalie Wood left the yacht and drowned has never been answered: was it accident, suicide or something more sinister? Now medical examiner Dr. Michael Hunter is taking a fresh look at one of Hollywood's most enduring mysteries. After a six-month break, AUTOPSY: THE LAST HOURS OF... returned with new episodes on Saturday, November 19, 2016 at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ReelzChannel. The new hour-long episodes show the final days and events of Steve Jobs, Chris Farley, Casey Kasem, Corey Monteith, Richard Prior, Corey Haim, Janis Joplin, Bruce Lee, Steve McQueen, Judy Garland and Bob Marley.

On Sunday, February 11, 2018 at 8pm ET/5pm PT, ReelzChannel premiered a new season of AUTOPSY: THE LAST HOURS OF..., featuring the story of James Gandolfini. On June 19, 2013 Gandolfini died of a heart attack in Rome. He was just 51 years old. A famously intense character actor, he was credited with changing the very nature of television acting. First appearing in films such as TRUE ROMANCE and GET SHORTY, it was the HBO series THE SOPRANOS that made him a household name. But his dedication to his craft took a deep toll on the actor, and rumors of addiction and excess followed him throughout his career. Now, expert pathologist Dr Michael Hunter is re-examining his medical history in order to discover what led him to die of a heart attack at only 51. Subsequent new hour-long episodes of the new season focus on the lives and last hours of James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, David Bowie, Lou Reed, Muhammad Ali, Miles Davis, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Andy Warhol, Cass Elliot (aka Mama Cass), Andy Kaufman, Farrah Fawcett, Mindy McCready, Johnny Cash, George Harrison, George Michael, Gram Parsons, Barry White, and Mary Tyler Moore.

A new season of AUTOPSY: THE LAST HOURS OF... premiered on Sunday, February 10, 2019 at 8pm ET/5pm PT on ReelzChannel. The season opener chronicles the story of Christopher Reeve, who died on October 10, 20014 in hospital leaving the world heartbroken. The actor's role as Superman made him a global superstar but after a freak horse riding accident in 1995 had left him paralyzed, his determination to walk again and his campaigning for America's disabled community transformed him into another type of hero. His cause of death was reported as heart failure but this raised more questions than answers. Conflicting reports emerged one even suggested that Reeve had suffered a severe allergic reaction to a drug just before his death. Now renowned forensic pathologist, Dr. Michael Hunter, investigates every aspect of Reeve's life in forensic detail using reports from the time and first-hand accounts to piece together what really happened. Subsequent episodes feature these stars: Michael Clarke Duncan, Rue McClanahan, Howard Hughes, Luther Vandross, John Candy and Rick James. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUTOPSY: THE LAST HOURS OF... returned for a new season on Sunday, February 16, 2020 at 8pm ET/5pm PT, with a season opener that focused on Florence Henderson. Best known as Carol Brady in The Brady Bunch Florence Henderson died in November 2016 leaving her fans mourning the loss of a mother figure. She was 82 but looking characteristically vibrant on live TV just days before. With a career spanning more than 60 years Henderson was an incredibly multi-talented performer on stage and screen. The last of 10 children she grew up in extreme poverty but by the age of 19 thanks to her remarkable determination and work ethic she became a Broadway star and was rarely out of the spotlight for the rest of her life. By her mid-70s Henderson was suffering from an irregular heartbeat and coronary artery disease leading to major surgery including a procedure just 24 hours before she died. Reports state that she died from complications with her heart that lead to its sudden failure. With the help of Henderson's medical history and eyewitness accounts renowned forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Hunter digs deep to discover what happened to Henderson in her final hours.