BAFTA Breakthrough and RTS Award Winning Ashley Francis-Roy explores the nation's relationship with reality television and the rise of the genre during the backdrop of the new millennium, in the engrossing three part series ‘The Greatest Show Never Made’ which is available to stream now on Amazon Prime.
The series follows six young people seeking fame and fortune for a brand new secret reality TV show, however things aren’t quite what they seem. Back in the Summer of 2002 Big Brother was dominating the airwaves, making millions of people tune into its fly on the wall realty circus. Ordinary people from across the country now believed that fame was in their grasp, if only they could get involved in a show like Big Brother, so when Nikita Russian Productions announced a new reality TV series, thousands applied. People traveled far and wide for a shot at fame and the £100,000 prize. Eventually thirty “lucky” contestants were chosen and given their contracts: accommodation, food, and leisure money would be provided, all they had to do is be filmed for a year whilst they complete a secret task. They quit their jobs, end relationships, and give up their homes for this chance of a lifetime…But within hours of arriving in London their dreams begin to unravel, leaving thirty cashless and now homeless young people stranded in London on a wing and a prayer.
The story acts as a cautionary tale about the seductive powers of reality television and the age-old lure of fame.
Ashley brings a great sense of humanity to the series despite the colorful sets and the outlandish story we witness, we see repercussions and how lives were ruined and at the center of it all was Nikita Russian.
The Prime Video documentary is made by Factual Fiction. Executive Producers are Tom and Emily Dalton and Jonathan Smith.
Ash is repped by Missing Link Films for commercials.