BBC THREE / BBC ONE, 2021

BAD INFLUENCER:
THE GREAT INSTA CON

The shocking story of the rise and fall of one of Instagram’s first super-influencers. By 23, Australian wellness guru Belle Gibson had cultivated an adoring global following online with the story that she had successfully treated her own terminal cancer by eating a plant-based diet and using alternative natural therapies. But there was one problem with Belle’s story: she had never had cancer.

Seen through the eyes of those who adored her and those who exposed her, this film lifts the lid on one of social media’s great mysteries: who was the real Belle Gibson – an ingenious con artist or damaged young woman trapped in a lie?

"Desai’s film amply demonstrates the seductive visual appeal of the wellness craze, with its artful snaps of yoga bodies and multicoloured fruit platters."

Financial Times
PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY

Ziyaad Desai

EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS

Grace Reynolds
Sophie Leonard

EDITOR

Martin Thompson

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Alisha Mckenzie

PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE

Justine Faram

RESEARCHER

Holly Godfrey

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

Duncan Stringemore