discovery+ UK Orders More Faking It Specials

Discovery UK has partnered once again with Shearwater Media to produce a brand-new season of Faking It: Tears of a Crime, as well as three specials focusing on Michael Jackson, Ted Bundy and Chris Watts.

The trio of specials will follow experts in body language, linguistics and forensic psychology as they examine footage and interviews of pop icon and alleged child abuser Jackson, serial killer Bundy and family murderer Watts. They will home in on the micro-gestures, flinches and vocal fumbles that potentially signpost their guilt. The specials are slated to bow on discovery+ from April onward.

Across the three specials, body language expert Dr. Cliff Lansley, Professor of Linguistics Dawn Archer and Forensic Psychologist Kerry Daynes will analyze and pull out the potential tell-tale signs of deception captured on footage for each case.

The fifth season of Faking It: Tears of a Crime, meanwhile, will delve into some of the most enthralling criminal cases in U.K. and international criminal history. Also from Shearwater comes Jimmy Savile: Hiding in Plain Sight (working title), a revealing two-part documentary series for discovery+ that explores who he was, how he got away with his crimes and identifies the key moments when he could have been stopped.

Clare Laycock, senior VP and head of lifestyle and entertainment brands at Discovery UK and Ireland, said: “Following the successes we have seen in the Faking It: Tears of a Crime franchise in the last year, I am delighted to be working with Shearwater once again for another captivating series and three more specials. Michael Jackson is one of the most revered yet controversial figures in modern popular culture and putting his profile and checkered history under the microscope signposts another exciting chapter in the Faking It: Tears of a Crime journey!”

Steve Anderson, executive producer at Shearwater Media, added: “Faking It: Tears of Crime is hugely popular with Discovery viewers. The insights and observations of our experts allow famous cases to be seen in a completely fresh light. The brand has transferred successfully to discovery+ and reaching new audiences keen to learn more about stories that continue to fascinate.”