7 Documentaries That Destroyed Peoples Careers

7 Documentaries That Destroyed Peoples Careers

Welcome to WatchMojo UK, where today were discussing seven documentaries that ruined celebrity reputations.

The Great Hack (2019)

Cambridge Analytica & Facebook Executives

Cambridge Analytica was a consulting firm started in 2013. Their previous collaborators included Donald Trump and pro-Brexit campaigners. In 2014, they created the app This Is Your Digital Life, which served to harvest the data of millions. It asked users questions and created a psychological profile for them. Not only this, but it also collected peoples Facebook data without authorization. In total, it stole data from around 87 million profiles. They then offered their services to politicians, such as Ted Cruz, who paid the company $5.8 million. In return, they crafted personalized advertisements for Cruz, using their psychological profiles. Donald Trump also paid for their services, showing different ads to voters depending on their previous Trump opinions. In 2018, data consultant Christopher Wylie revealed their practices to the Guardian. One year later, Netflix released The Great Hack, exposing their crimes fully. Cambridge Analytica closed in 2018, and Mark Zuckerberg was made to testify in front of Congress, and Facebook was fined $5 billion for their violations.

Russell Brand: In Plain Sight (2023)

Russell Brand

Essex boy Brand rose to fame in the early 2000s, with sexual freedom being a significant aspect of his image. During the COVID pandemic, he gained a massive YouTube following, largely made up of the alt-right. His content mainly focused on radical conspiracy theories, particularly ones denying COVID. In 2023, Dispatches released a documentary of their investigation into Brand, focusing on his mistreatment of women. Numerous allegations of abuse were made, including one claim of him grooming a teenage girl. Claims of his immature behavior date back to the 2000s, for example, when he was on BBC Radio 2, he urinated in a bottle in the studio, then got angry and started throwing objects. Like most celebrities accused of abuse, he denied all the allegations, insisting he always had consent. Not everyone believed him, and he was dropped by his agent in September 2023, causing his comedy tour to be indefinitely postponed. YouTube began withholding his profits, but he still maintains a sizable following, who he peddles snake oil to.

Panorama (1953-)

Martin Bashir

Journalist Martin Bashir interviewed Princess Diana in 1995, which the BBC called the scoop of a generation. It was groundbreaking, with Diana opening up about her struggles with marriage, mental health, bulimia, and the royal institution. More than 20 million people in the UK watched it, causing a 1,000 MW surge in power demand. The royal family only discovered it once it was released, causing a deep division between them and Diana. 25 years later, it came to light that Bashir used fraudulent practices to land the interview. Her brother, Charles Spencer, was shown forged bank statements, indicating individuals close to the princess were spying on her. Spencer later said he wouldnt have allowed the interview if not for them. These revelations coincided with the COVID pandemic, which caused Bashir to fall seriously ill. Investigations were delayed for this, although the Daily Mirror published an image of him visiting a takeaway. He left the BBC in 2021, citing ill health, but many believe the scandal was the driving factor.

Panorama (1953-)

The Football Association

In 2006, Panorama exposed widespread corruption in the English Football Association. They captured extensive incriminating footage, showing numerous officials breaking the law. Many dealings involved bungs, or bribes. For instance, Sam Allardyce, the Bolton Wanderers manager, accepted bribes to sign players. His son Craig would facilitate such deals. Newcastle United manager Kevin Bond was similarly filmed agreeing to bribes. Numerous other agents were caught on tape, breaking FA rules. The majority denied these allegations, despite the video evidence. No criminal charges resulted from the program, however, it seriously tarnished the reputations of numerous people. For instance, Craig Allardyce stepped down from the industry. His father later became England manager in 2015, but only for 5 months, being fired due to further corruption. Bond, on the other hand, had his contract quickly terminated. Both managers threatened to sue the BBC for libel, however this never happened. There were no major consequences to the scandal, but it was a precursor to later scandals, and brought significant attention towards football corruption.

Living With Michael Jackson (2003)

Michael Jackson

Once upon a time, Jackson was arguably the most famous person worldwide. During his peak, he came under little scrutiny, but this changed as he got older. One major factor was the 2003 Living With Michael Jackson documentary. It featured Martin Bashir interviewing Jackson, and touring Neverland Ranch. Jackson never saw it until it was released, and felt betrayed by how negatively it portrayed him. One of the most controversial moments was when Jackson admitted to sharing his bed with children. While he insisted it was innocent, and without any malicious intent, it shocked viewers globally, especially with his history of child abuse allegations. It also included shots of him holding hands with Gavin Arvizo, a 13-year-old boy recovering from cancer. Arizo later accused Jackson of inappropriate behavior, leading to a notorious trial in 2005. In response, Jackon released his own interview footage, hoping to show Bashirs bias. The fallout deeply affected Jackson, hampering his legacy, pushing him further into isolation, and fueling his dependence on substances, which would eventually take his life.

Newsnight (1980-)

Prince Andrew

Jeffrey Epstein was a notorious figure, known for forming an elite circle who inappropriately abused women and children. He died in prison in 2019, under highly suspicious circumstances. Many began to criticize his friends, accusing them of being accomplices in his criminal activities. Prince Andrew was one such friend, and after intense scrutiny was interviewed on Newsnight. It was intended to clear his name, but it just made things worse. He expressed no remorse for his friendship, and denied every allegation made. His accuser said he sweatily danced with her in a club, causing his most outrageous response. Andrew insisted an adrenaline overdose in the Falklands War made sweating impossible for him, but numerous doctors say adrenaline overdose has the opposite effect. The Prince stepped down from royal duties after, and he retreated from public life. Numerous charities cut ties with him, and one of his victims pressed charges. It was settled out of court, with the royal family paying her a large sum, estimated as being as much as £12 million.

The Other Side of Jimmy Savile (2012)

Jimmy Savile

Once an acclaimed television personality in the UK, after he died in 2011, overwhelming accusations of misconduct came to light. As we all know by now, behind closed doors Savile was an abominable man. One year after his death, ITV Exposure released a documentary analyzing the accusations. His criminal activities spanned across 6 decades, which were covered up by the BBC. The fact it went his whole life without being held accountable is horrific. In a 1978 interview, John Lydon of the Sex Pistols hinted at Saviles seediness, which was edited out by the BBC. After his death, Newsnight launched an investigation into him, and the BBC shut this down too. Thankfully, ITV didnt shy away from their documentary, which prompted Operation Yewtree, a police investigation into Saviles abuse. They discovered Savile abused at least 450 people, with 328 of these being victimized as children. It seriously tarnished his legacy, making him one of the most reviled figures in British TV history, and ended many of his associates careers.

Which documentary did you find the most shocking? Let us know in the comments!