Netflix is once again mining some of Britain’s finest podcast IP by making a documentary about Sweet Bobby from The Tinder Swindler producer Raw.
The popular Tortoise pod delivered a huge twist. It told the story of how broadcaster Kirat Assi became embroiled in an impossibly complex web of deception that lasted for more than a decade and involved many fabricated characters.
When Kirat met ‘Bobby’ on Facebook and embarked on a long-distance relationship with him, she believed she had found the love of her life. As it evolved from a friendship to an increasingly controlling romantic relationship, Kirat became subsumed into a web of deception, as Bobby’s explanations for why they couldn’t meet face to face became more and more extreme.
The story evoked themes of control and social media, and was hugely popular, turning into a live investigation.
The Netflix feature doc is being directed by Lyttanya Shannon (Subnormal: A British Scandal), EP’d by Rebecca North (American Nightmare) and produced by Kiran Sira (Murder, Mystery and My Family).
Raw has repeatedly delivered for Netflix, making the likes of The Tinder Swindler and Don’t F**k with Cats.
The move is Netflix’s latest dash into the world of British podcast IP. The streamer recently made Can I Tell You A Secret? from Louis Theroux’s Mindhouse, telling the story of women who were stalked by English cybercriminal Matthew Hardy.