Channel 5 is bringing back iconic reality show after 20 years

Nearly 20 years after it left our screens, reality TV favourite Faking It is getting a fresh new lease of life.

Channel 5 is reportedly in the final stages of rebooting the popular show, with production company Banijay said to be involved in developing the revival.

According to industry insiders at Broadcast, the revival is currently in development, which suggests we could see it back on TV very soon.

The original Faking It series aired on Channel 4 from 2000 to 2006. Many of these episodes are still available to stream on Channel 4’s streaming platform. The show was a big hit in its day, even bagging two BAFTA awards.

If you missed it the first time around, each episode featured a member of the public thrown into an unfamiliar world.

They had just one month to live and train with an expert, mastering a completely new skill or activity. The twist? They then had to compete in a contest against real experts, and a panel had to decide which contestant was the ‘faker’.

Episodes included cellist Sian Evans swapping classical music for turntables to become a club DJ and a burger-van owner being put through his paces by none other than Gordon Ramsay, transforming into a cordon bleu chef.

Other famous episodes included a former naval petty officer being trained as a drag artist, while city lawyer George LuBega dived into the world of garage music, learning the art of being an MC.

The original series is currently available now on Channel 4.