‘It’s all a set-up’: the ‘fake’ Australian documentary TV series mining governments for millions

The brief

In an unforgiving expanse of red dirt in the heart of Western Australia’s goldfields, a tense confrontation threatens to turn violent. As the cameras roll, grime-smeared prospectors confront an intruder caught red-handed on their claim. It is a classic episode of Aussie Gold Hunters, a documentary series that its distributor, Warner Bros Discovery, says has captured an audience of 40 million viewers in more than 140 countries, making it the most successful Australian show on its platform. The face of the would-be thief is heavily pixellated. But the silhouette and distinctive hairdo of the impostor bear a striking resemblance to an Aussie Gold Hunters producer. “Just be careful, mate,” one…