The Fake Sheikh

Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Overview of the man who manufactured situations and manipulated people to create stories for the tabloids in the UK.

It is just a shame he didn't investigate or use his 'skill' on the more deserving criminals of the 90s.

Mind you, if he had journalistic integrity, Rupert Murdoch would have probably fired him from the News of the World.

He didn't land megascoops, as the documentary suggests; he created them.

It is an interesting watch about the pseudo sheikh who spent decades fabricating his brand of news and his downfall when he became the story.

This three parter tells the story of Mazher Mahmood, the fake sheikh. I try and avoid documentary series as some of them stretch a story out to 10 parts and get dull and slow. This however moved quickly and keeps your interest. It could have maybe stretched to a fourth part but it never drags.

It does try and talk to a range of people. Journalists who worked at the paper at the same time (but weren't in his little private circle). People who helped him with stings and wound people in. "Victims" of his stings. Even his partner at one point.

However the man himself and some of the key players obviously did not want to take part which does leave it a little one sided. Especially what really made them go after the celebrities in the first place. It is quite obvious that everyone is not as innocent as they try and make out.

I actually felt sorry for him in the end. He did do some good stories. He brought down some people who thought they could do what they wanted by using their racism and greed against them. However he ended up trying a bit too hard and no-one reigned him in. It says a lot that all he supposedly did but it was a simple case of getting his driver to take back a statement about what he heard that brought him down.

Watched this on Amazon Prime and the description made it sound like this guy was a fake scammer (similar to the Tinder Swindler or Inventing Anna) but not at all. While he was a fake, he did it as a journalist and was very clever in his undercover work.

The documentary displays that Maz was a complex character. He could be ruthless, but the results did some good. He also made sure his team were people that were like minded.

The interviews really made for a great narrative. Even some of the people who feel into the trap told their stories too. The only sad part is it didn't get Maz's side of it.