Voltage TV and Factual Fiction secure orders about Mazher Mahmood and The Greatest Show Never Made

Doc series about maverick reporter the ‘fake sheikh’ and a faked reality TV series are to join Amazon’s burgeoning UK documentary slate.

Georgia Brown

Georgia Brown

Unveiled today at the Edinburgh TV Festival, the shows will sit alongside previously-announced films including ITN Production’s The Confession, Firecrest’s Three Mothers (w/t) and Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes.

The Fake Sheikh will tell the story of reporter Mazher Mahmood, who used false identities to generate stories about the royals, sports stars, politicians and celebrities, as well as members of the public.

The three-parter will track his rise, which saw him win Reporter of The Year twice at the British Press Awards, as well as his downfall and imprisonment, giving voice to those who were stung by his stories.

Directed by Ceri Isfryn, Sanjay Singhal and Jonathan Smith will exec produce the series.

Meanwhile, The Greatest Show Never Made centres on the story of why 30 hopefuls gave up their jobs to travel to a park in south east London in 2002 to take part in a reality TV series which did not exist.

The 2 x 50-minute episodes are exec produced by Emily Dalton and Jonathan Smith, alongside Bafta-breakthrough winning producer and director Ashley Francis-Roy.

Head of UK originals Dan Grabiner said that original documentaries, both set to air next year, are “a key part of our growing UK slate”.

Head of Amazon Studios, Georgia Brown reiterated Amazon’s curated strategy of “never being in the volume game.”

“Every show we order has a different need for us, whether it’s a genre we want to explore or testing new waters, each one has a different benchmark,” she said.

Prime Video Pathway

Amazon also unveiled the second phase of its Prime Video Pathway training initiative.

Part of a talent scheme which will invest £10m over the next three years, designed with the National Film and Television School to offer training and employment opportunities to over 250 students, the London Screen Academy and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland will now receive funding support.

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