Notorious Fake Sheikh and King of the Sting becomes the story as documentary reveals his undercover tactics

Fake Sheikh, the King of the Sting or just a journalist gone bad?

Notorious newspaper man Mazher Mahmood had lots of names and now his undercover exposes are going under the spotlight themselves in a new documentary.

Described by some as a 'national institution', the hugely controversial journalist tricked his way into the circles of some of the country's most powerful people.

He flashed cash, appeared to own a yacht and duped some of the UK's best known names ... through entrapment.

The manager of the England football team, members of the royal family, top celebrities - nobody was off limits, no matter who you were.

Does he have remorse? Did he destroy people's lives or did they destroy it themselves?

Fake Sheikh, from Voltage TV, tells the thrilling story of the maverick reporter  whose exposés generated headlines by his use of false identities to ensnare his victims. 

The three-part original documentary series will track his meteoric rise to the highest ranks of the tabloid press - twice winning Reporter of The Year at The British Press Awards - and his subsequent downfall and imprisonment. 

The interviewees include those within Mahmood’s inner circle who, in some cases, are talking for the first time about the operation and tactics of the reporter, with never-before-broadcast footage of the so-called King of the Sting in action.

 The series will also give a voice to those who were stung, so that they will have the chance to tell their side on well-known tabloid stories that in many cases had devastating effects on their lives. 

This will include household names whose targeting by Mahmood generated some of the biggest headlines of the time. 

“Original documentary storytelling is a key part of our growing UK slate, from nail-biting sport to intriguing whodunnits and stranger-than-fiction history,” said Dan Grabiner, head of UK Originals, Amazon Studios.  “We’re excited to be working with tremendously talented filmmakers, both new directors and legends of the genre, to bring these remarkable human stories to a global audience.”

Fake Sheikh is directed by Ceri Isfryn, with executive producers Sanjay Singhal and Jonathan Smith.

The Amazon Prime series starts on Tuesday, September 26.