The story of Nikita Russian appears like one thing out of a film. By the age of 25, the Waterstones worker was on the centre of a highly-publicised scandal, after masquerading as a TV producer and convincing a gaggle of 30 hopefuls to audition for a actuality present of his personal invention.
Now the topic of Amazon Prime’s restricted sequence, The Best Present By no means Made, the documentary is about to seize the real-life penalties of Nikita’s Russian’s scheme, whereas listening to from these concerned – in addition to the person himself. However, what occurred to Nikita Russian after his faux actuality present was uncovered? Here is what you want to know…
What did Nikita Russian do?
In a time the place actuality exhibits like Massive Brother reigned supreme, Nikita Russian got here up with an thought. After inserting an advert for a year-long problem with a £100,000 prize, he organized for all 30 candidates to move to London parks the place their job was revealed.
Among the contestants had even give up their jobs, flats and relationships to pursue their dream of showing on a actuality present. Upon arrival, they had been every given the problem of creating £1 million a yr, however that is the place the directions ended.
© Amazon PrimeInitially, the 30 hopefuls had been divided into three groups of 10, however after their arrival in London, two of the groups determined to give up instantly, whereas the third stayed on. It did not take lengthy earlier than they realised all was not because it appeared, nevertheless.
Because it turned out, Nikita was not a TV producer, and had as a substitute been working part-time at Waterstones in Piccadilly. Including to the deceit, the so-called members of his manufacturing staff had been fictitious, there was no money prize, and the present had by no means even been commissioned.
© Amazon PrimePrevious to the revelation that the present was faux, Nikita – who had given up his flat and job on the time – was compelled to stick with the very contestants he’d lied to, earlier than disappearing altogether. Just a few months later, Nikita was ultimately tracked down and made to publicly apologise on The Nice Actuality TV Swindle, however the place is he now?
The place is Nikita Russian now?
In a brand new interview with The Occasions, Nikita, now 45, shared that he is married with two youngsters and lives an “genuine, well-built, actual life” in Buckinghamshire.
Reflecting on the 2002 debacle, Nikita defined that he’s remorseful, and has been engaged on himself. “It is compelled me to take a look at who I’m now, in contrast with who I used to be. I am not that particular person and that’s deeply encouraging. As a result of that particular person did not work,” he stated.
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© Amazon PrimeIn keeping with the father-of-two, nevertheless, he’d by no means had any “conspiratorial or malicious or malevolent” intentions whereas establishing the truth present.
“I do not suppose you could possibly discover a soul on earth who would agree extra wholeheartedly than I try this it was performed the fallacious approach, but it surely was me making an attempt to realize the making of a TV present that will profit all the individuals who had been concerned,” Nikita recalled.
