TV 2 releases all episodes of Rasmus Wallbridge prank series amid criticism

TV 2 has released all episodes of its new series 'Alle elsker Rasmus' at once on TV 2 Play, abandoning its original plan to air one episode per week. The broadcaster said the move was intended to give viewers a greater insight into how the programme was made.

The series centres on comedian Rasmus Wallbridge from Hørning, south of Aarhus, who dreamed of making a feature film with his collaborator Martin Johannes Larsen. For four months, he was filmed with hidden cameras while more than 100 television professionals and actors pretended to help him.

“It is completely absurdly rotten that a nationwide TV station thinks it is okay to lead people astray, lie to them and gaslight them in order to make entertainment.”

Wallbridge was not told the truth until the final episode, when he learned the entire project was a joke. Critics have described the premise as gaslighting and psychological torture.

TV chef Hannah Grant called it absurdly rotten for a nationwide station to deceive and lie to people for entertainment. Other public figures, including Christian Fuhlendorff, Signe Lindkvist, Anna Lin, Sofie Linde and Torben Chris, have also criticised the programme.

TV 2 and production company Drive Studios responded that Wallbridge could decide whether to participate and could refuse publication. Editor Mads Elias Højbjerg Ravn wrote that Wallbridge continued voluntarily, joined the editing process, contributed to the story and approved the final programmes.

Critics, including Ekstra Bladet editor-in-chief Simon Bendtsen, have rejected that defence, describing the situation as an emotional violation and saying Wallbridge was effectively forced to say yes.