About this season
In 2002 six young people seeking fame and fortune applied for a new, top secret, reality TV show. They left their homes, jobs and partners and travelled to London to start the adventure. Twenty years after their dreams were shattered, they are still searching for answers; trying to understand how a show that didn’t exist, and the disappearance of the man behind it, changed their lives forever.
Episodes (3)
1. Episode 1
Aired 10 October 2023 • 42 min
June 2002. Lucie, Jane, Tim, Daniel, Rosy and John dream of escape. An ad for a new TV show offers a way out: ‘Contestants wanted. One year, £100,000.’ Beyond their wildest dreams, they are chosen. They quit their jobs, end relationships, give up their homes and prepare for adventure. But within hours of arriving in London their dreams begin to unravel.
2. Episode 2
Aired 10 October 2023 • 44 min
Reeling from the news that they’re homeless and must make their own prize money, the contestants try to make a go of it. Cameraman Tim films the rollercoaster ride as they discover the truth behind Nik Russian’s enigmatic façade. Who is he? Can he still put them on TV? And 20 years later, where has he gone?
3. Episode 3
Aired 10 October 2023 • 49 min
In the Summer of 2002, thirty people’s dream of Reality TV fame became a nightmare. They found themselves broke, hungry and humiliated. How did it happen? And why? For 20 years, their questions remained unanswered. Now, a private detective has tracked down the mysterious, charismatic man behind it all. It’s time for Nikita Russian to tell his own story.