TV 2 show faces backlash over hidden-camera experiment

A four-month hidden-camera experiment involving comedian and actor Rasmus Wallbridge has sparked debate over its ethics, DR reports. In TV 2’s new programme Alle elsker Rasmus, friends, celebrities and other participants know the setup, while Wallbridge does not.

The programme follows Wallbridge as he is led to believe he may fulfil his dream of developing a film. He was asked only after filming whether the material could be made into a television programme.

Television and podcast host Anna Lin has called the format bullying. She said Wallbridge may not have had a genuinely free choice when deciding whether to go along with the joke or oppose an entire television crew. TV chef and speaker Hannah Grant described the programme’s premise as morally and ethically unacceptable.

Lin said it could be difficult for Wallbridge to refuse after so many people had invested time and effort in the project, particularly if the decision could affect his relationships and career. Grant said the format risked normalising a problematic way of treating people.

Sidsel Helena Karsberg, a lecturer at Aarhus University’s Department of Psychology, said being misled by friends and professional collaborators could undermine a person’s trust in others. She cautioned, however, that it was not possible to conclude from the available information whether Wallbridge had suffered psychological harm or been subjected to abuse. That would depend on the circumstances and on how he experienced the process.

Wallbridge is not currently giving interviews. His manager directed questions about the programme’s premise and production to TV 2.

TV 2 programme director Dorthe Thirstrup said the intention was to celebrate Wallbridge, not mock him. She said the production had a psychologist involved, monitored him closely and ensured he was never filmed alone. Thirstrup also said Wallbridge had the opportunity to refuse publication, and that the programme would not have been shown if he could not see himself in it.

Thirstrup acknowledged that the production may have had blind spots and said the boundaries of such an unusual format needed discussion. Karsberg also said producers had a responsibility if a participant was put in an unreasonable situation.

Wallbridge does get the opportunity to develop a film, Thirstrup confirmed to DR. The programme premiered on Monday.