# The Real Hustle (2006)

> A team of hustlers runs notorious scams on unsuspecting marks filmed with hidden cameras, then reveals how each con works so viewers can avoid them.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/3505

## Facts

- Seasons: 11
- Episodes: 106
- Episode runtime: 29 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: reality
- Network: BBC Three
- Cast: Jessica-Jane Stafford, Alexis Conran, R. Paul Wilson, Richard Wiseman, Andi Peters, Shane Lynch, Sam Faiers, Nihal Arthanayake
- TMDB rating: 8.0/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0791615/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: playful, brisk, mischievous, comic, entertaining

## Synopsis

The Real Hustle (2006-2012) is a British reality series created for BBC Three, a hidden camera con-artistry format built around hosts Alexis Conran, Paul Wilson and Jessica-Jane Stafford. The three presenters act as a team of hustlers who stage notorious scams on unsuspecting members of the public, the marks, while concealed cameras record every reaction. The engine of each episode is the con itself: a staged setup, a rising sense of unease as the target is drawn in, and then the payoff when the trick lands. Afterwards the team breaks down the mechanics of each deception so viewers learn to spot and avoid the same tactics in everyday life. Across eleven seasons and roughly a hundred and six episodes of about half an hour each, the show stays a self-contained case-of-the-week format rather than a continuing story. The tone is playful and brisk, with a light comic energy that keeps deception entertaining rather than harrowing. Fans of Candid Camera, Trust Me I'm a Doctor and Leverage will find a similar blend of mischief, social experiment and caper-style reveals.

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