Unmasking a Star's Fall: Matthew Perry and the Dark Web of Ketamine

The Tragic Tale of Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Icon's Descent into Darkness

In a shocking turn of events, the world was left reeling with the news of Matthew Perry's untimely death at just 54 years old. The beloved actor, best known for his iconic role as Chandler Bing in the hit TV show Friends, had been struggling with addiction for decades. But what drove him to such desperate measures? And who was responsible for fueling his downward spiral?

As detailed in a new ITV documentary, Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, the answer lies in a web of deceit and exploitation by the very people entrusted with his care. The film shines a light on the darkest corners of Hollywood, where doctors and medical professionals preyed upon Perry's vulnerability to supply him with highly addictive and potentially deadly substances.

The documentary reveals that Matthew received 27 injections of ketamine in just three days leading up to his death, an amount that would be equivalent to a year's worth for the average patient. The investigation claims that these injections were administered by Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Dr. Mark Chavez, two physicians who allegedly supplied Perry with the highly addictive drug in exchange for thousands of dollars.

But how did it come to this? According to Matthew's own memoir, Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing, he had been struggling with addiction since his teenage years. Growing up in Canada, Perry was just a year old when his parents divorced, leaving him feeling lost and insecure. His mother, Suzanne, would often leave him alone on planes to visit his father, John Bennett Perry, who was an actor and model.

As Matthew grew older, he turned to alcohol and pills as a coping mechanism for the emptiness he felt inside. "I thought being famous would fill that great hole that was endlessly growing inside of me," he writes in his memoir. But instead, it seemed to fuel his addiction, leading him down a path of self-destruction.

The documentary features Matthew reading from his memoir, poignantly recalling how he would often try to drink away his problems. "I realised I was too young to be alone and this was all completely terrifying," he writes about one particularly harrowing experience. His friends, including Jennifer Aniston, have spoken out about their own struggles in trying to support him through the years.

But it wasn't just Matthew's addiction that was a problem – it was also the people surrounding him who were enabling his behavior. The documentary reveals that Dr. Plasencia and Dr. Chavez not only supplied Perry with ketamine but also taught his live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, how to administer the injections.

"I wonder how much this moron will pay," Plasencia allegedly wrote to his colleague after selling Matthew 20 vials of ketamine for $55,000. The sheer audacity of these medical professionals is staggering, and Dr. David Feifel, a leading expert in ketamine therapy, is scathing about their behavior.

"You're prescribing drugs that are potentially dangerous in a reckless way, just to enrich yourself," he says. "In addition to that, you're exploiting the vulnerability of someone who's suffering and is so desperate to end that suffering. I can't think of a worse configuration of misbehaviour."

The documentary also delves into the connections between Matthew's addiction and his role in Fools Rush In, a movie he made in 1997 while filming Friends. After injuring himself on set, Perry was prescribed painkillers, which may have contributed to his further descent into addiction.

In the end, it was ketamine that proved to be the final nail in Matthew's coffin. His live-in assistant, Iwamasa, claims that Matthew's last words were "Shoot me up with a big one" before taking a fatal dose of the substance while soaking in his hot tub.

The case has led to five people being charged, including Dr. Chavez, Iwamasa, and Hollywood director Erik Fleming, who all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute ketamine. The so-called 'Ketamine Queen', Jasveen Sangha, is due to stand trial next month after pleading not guilty to all charges.

As the investigation unfolds, one thing is clear: Matthew Perry's death was a preventable tragedy, one that highlights the darker side of Hollywood and the dangers of addiction. It's a stark reminder that even in the midst of incredible success and fame, vulnerability and desperation can lead people down a path of destruction.

Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy airs on ITV1 on Monday, August 18 at 9pm