Jaw-dropping TV documentary series on romance frauds and cheats back for a second series
ROM CON Jaw-dropping TV documentary series on romance frauds and cheats back for a second series
CHANNEL 4 is playing dirty once again by lining up a fresh batch of adulterous scandals for viewers to shake their heads disapprovingly at.
I can reveal bosses have commissioned a second instalment of docu- series Love Cheats following its debut run last autumn.
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Fake aristocrat Lord Bertie Underwood — real name Robert Madejski — was jailed for fraud offences
Credit: facebook
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Megan Clarke was scammed by Madejski leaving her £30,000 in debt
Credit: Channel 4
And the broadcaster is on the hunt for more real-life victims of relationship scams and lying partners.
The original run hit the headlines courtesy of a fake aristocrat called Lord Bertie Underwood — real name Robert Madejski — who set the scumbag bar spectacularly high.
He scammed his unsuspecting loving fiancee Megan Clarke by secretly taking out credit in her name, leaving her £30,000 in debt — while he was also sleeping with men on the side.
He was later jailed for fraud offences involving another victim.
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A TV insider said: 'The first series made such a big impact Channel 4 chiefs couldn't wait to green light a follow-up.'
Research teams are collating more extreme cases to feature and cast their net far and wide.
The source added: 'It's shocking so many people's lives have been destroyed by these con artists but there is some consolation that the culprits' actions can be outed in such public fashion.'
Other big storylines from series one included a man falling in love with a mum of one who faked having cancer to con him out of almost £10,000, plus twin sisters who were defrauded by a scammer posing as a firefighter.
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Plus, across the pond, a comic-loving man fell for the charms of an equally geeky girl with Multiple Sclerosis.
He paid for her medical care, as well as rent, before digging deeper into his pockets to fund the 'life-changing treatment' she desperately needed.
I was scammed by fake 'lord' who left me £30K in debt
In all, he paid out £80,000 of money he didn't have.
And when he realised his dream girlfriend was a scammer, she falsely accused him of domestic abuse, fled to Japan, and targeted more victims.
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Not a very likeable bunch . . .
A GRAVE ERROR ON TRAITORS
STEPHEN FRY and Alan Carr are staying tight-lipped about their time on Celebrity Traitors – and the rumour mill has started filling in the gaps.
Stephen joined the Chatty Man on his Life's A Beach podcast – and the topic turned to the BBC1 show, which was filmed in Scoland and will air this autumn.
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Stephen Fry is staying tight-lipped about his time on Celebrity Traitors
Credit: Alamy
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Alan said: 'We holidayed recently near Inverness in a castle. But we can't say anything.'
Stephen replied: 'Not a word.'
Alan continued: 'Nothing. And there's already clickbaity things happening. Apparently there's a funeral. There's no bloody funeral.
'We are obviously talking about Celebrity Traitors, which was a wonderful experience. I had to mention it but our lives wouldn't be worth living if we start giving out spoilers.'
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Ok, we get it . . .
PERFECT MATCH, ENGLAND
IT'S a line up of look-a-likes almost as impressive as the team they're impersonating.
The cast of Dear England, the BBC adaptation of the West end play about Gareth Southgate's career, came together to start filming last week.
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Joseph Fiennes as Gareth Southgate in Dear England
Credit: CLICK NEWS - SPLASH
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Michael Watson as Kieran Trippier in the BBC adaptation
Credit: Click News and Media
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Francis Lovehall as Raheem Sterling
Credit: Click News and Media
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Edem-Ita Duke as Marcus Rashford
Credit: Click News and Media
And it was incredible just how much like the England players who feature in the show, which was using posh public school Harrow to double up as the squad's Stafordshire training ground.
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Former Shakespeare in Love star Joseph Fiennes was arguably the most uncanny doppelganger as the manager Gareth.
But the rest of the 'players' were just as convincing - right down to some of the ball skills they were showing off too.
We can all witness for ourselves when it airs next year on BBC One.
CHANNEL 5 has unveiled a raft of new dramas.
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They include Imposter, starring ex Corrie actress Kym Marsh and Neighbours' Jackie Woodburne.
While detective mystery Cooper and Fry, from Stephen Booth's novels, features Downton Abbey's Robert James-Collier.
FANS ARE BROWN'S BUOYS
MRS Brown's Boys star Brendan O'Carroll says the comedy would be nothing without its studio audience.
The Irishman says having a live reaction to the gags brings something extra special in an age where hardly any sitcoms are filmed in front of fans.
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Brendan O'Carroll says Mrs Browns Boys would be nothing without its studio audience
Credit: BBC
Brendan, who also co-writes the hit series, will be back as matriarch Agnes Brown as the show returns to BBC One for a new four-part mini series, on August 1.
Agreeing with Lee Mack, who writes and stars in fellow BBC hit Not Going Out, Brendan said: 'Filming in front of a live audience is essential to the show.
'So many times, at the end of rehearsals, our director, Ben Kellett will say, 'All this needs now is the audience' and he is so right.
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'They follow every move, every line and add so much to our performances. We would be lost without them.'
Sadly, it's a dying art.
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