Channel 4 commissions Andrew Tate doc
January 31, 2023
Channel 4 has commissioned 1×60’ documentary that will explore the rise of controversial social media star Andrew Tate.
The 36-year-old American-born ex-kickboxer and adult entrepreneur Tate achieved global status on social media by lacing self-help techniques and get-rich-quick schemes with toxic misogyny. He gained millions of followers – largely young men – on TikTok and Twitter, and as his fame sky-rocketed he was banned by most platforms. At the end of last year Tate – who has never hidden the fact that he has made a fortune managing webcam girls – was arrested by Romanian police on suspicion of rape, organised crime and human trafficking.
With full access to Tate, Amos Pictures will document the build-up and aftermath of his arrest and seek to unravel the many allegations that have been made. Gathering extensive footage of Tate made over the last decade and seeking out figures from his personal life who can shed light on his journey, the film will ask how it is Tate became so famous so fast.
Directed by Maggie Gaudin and executive produced by Dan Reed, the film will meet some of his legions of Tate supporters to ask why his message of self-actualisation through wealth and control over women speaks powerfully to so many, while also hearing from parents and educators who are terrified of Tate’s influence on the teenage boys in their care.
Reed said: “How Andrew Tate became the most viral influencer on the planet, and what forces and experiences shaped Tate the man (as opposed to the controversy-seeking media icon) is what we’re trying to find out. This sits at the sweet spot between a tabloid subject and an in-depth, highly-wrought documentary where Amos Pictures is at its strongest in its partnership with Channel 4 – think The Paedophile Hunter (2014) and Leaving Neverland (2019). Tate has given us full access and we’re looking forward to carrying on filming if he gets out of jail in the coming weeks.’
Anna Miralis, Commissioning Editor, added: “As we await the outcome of the Romanian investigation there are so many questions that surround Andrew Tate, not least how he amassed infamy and fortune in a relatively short period of time, and why it is his anti-feminist agenda resonates so powerfully with his followers. With incredible access, Dan Reed and Maggie Gaudin are poised to unpick this fascinating and fast-evolving story.”