Mindblowing' BBC true crime doc fans are calling a must-watch now streaming

A brand new true crime documentary series on the BBC has been branded 'sickening', yet it could be your next binge-watch. The compelling three-part documentary entitled The Mother of All Cons is drawn from the highly regarded 2023 BBC Radio 4 investigative podcast Believe in Magic by Jamie Bartlett. The series charts the real-life story of a mother and daughter, Jean O'Brien and Megan Bhari, who set up a charity for critically ill children back in 2010. Following the revelation that Megan herself was suffering from a brain tumour, the teenage girl became a prominent figurehead for the organisation.

At the time, the charity attracted the attention of high-profile celebrities, amongst them one of the biggest boy bands of the era: One Direction. Yet as the charity grew, certain people began to question whether the mother-daughter duo running it were entirely above board, reports the Mirror. The synopsis reads: "She's battling a brain tumour, and knowing the toll illness can take, she decides to devote her life to creating fairy-tale experiences that might help children to forget, even briefly, that they're sick. Believe in Magic becomes an immediate success.

"Inspired by Megan's courage and self-sacrifice, celebrities and her beloved One Direction are more than willing to donate their time and money to the cause. And when her mother, Jean, posts news that Megan's health has deteriorated and she needs expensive treatment in America, countless families and celebrity supporters rally around to support Meg." It adds: "Together, they raise the money needed overnight.

However, in an online chat, some parents whose own children have been treated for cancer abroad begin asking questions." This documentary offers a thorough investigation into what took place behind Believe in Magic's closed doors, and is a compelling choice for those who were gripped by true crime series such as Mommy Dead and Dearest and Mr Bates vs. The Post Office. The Believe in Magic charity was ultimately forced to close in 2020 after more than £100,000 worth of donations had gone unaccounted for. Jean was also discovered to have transferred a proportion of the funds directly into her own bank account, and it subsequently emerged that Megan had never actually suffered from a brain tumour.

"They would say things about Meg's health and I wasn't quite sure what was the truth and what wasn't," Megan's estranged half-sister Nina Morgan told The Times. "My doubts were there, very early days, but it was something difficult to communicate." She went on to say: "I also wasn't aware, you know – was it led by Meg, was it led by Jean, the whole dynamics of it, I found very confusing at the time." Those who have already tuned in have been quick to share their thoughts, with one viewer writing: "The mother of all cons. I've just watched all 3 on BBC player. Ffs sickening." Another commented: "Binge watched all 3 episodes of The Mother Of All Cons on iPlayer and omg." A third remarked: "The Mother of All Cons fascinating and sad documentary on BBC.

Recommended." Meanwhile one further viewer added: "The mother of all cons (title of the new iPlayer docu series) blew my mind and I knew the story from the Believe in magic podcast from a few years back. If you can, find it and watch it." The Mother of All Cons is available to stream on iPlayer.