RTE expects to get its money back after it bought an award- winning documentary from Carlton television, which the Guardian newspaper says is a fake. The Connection was broadcast on ITV's Network First series and later sold to television stations in 14 countries, including RTE.
The documentary claimed to have penetrated Colombia's drug cartel and tracked new heroin routes to London.
The head of acquired programmes in RTE, Mr Dermot Horan, said E had it bought the documentary, which was yet to be shown, in good faith. E. He was in talks with Carlton and if the Guardian's allegations were true, RTE would get its money back. He would not say what the hour-long programme had cost.
Yesterday's Guardian claimed the programme pretended to track a "mule" carrying drugs in his stomach. It also faked an interview with a leading member of the Cali cartel, the most feared drug cartel in South America. It also claimed the drug-smuggler was travelling on a ticket bought by the programme's producer. The Guardian says the programme researcher told Carlton's senior management six days before the programme was transmitted about those problems and other anomalies. The exposure could lead to an inquiry by the Independent Television Commission.