Shabaz Asks: Are Billionaires Bad? review – a hilarious spoof that’s like Philomena Cunk meets Louis Theroux

TikToker Shabaz Ali uses his uber-dry wit to make the mega-rich look ridiculous in this very silly satire BBC Three’s latest documentary opens with a man floating down a London street in a smart black turtleneck and grey suit jacket, increasingly alarmist string music swelling around him. “In a world of ever-widening economic divides,” he begins, gesticulating wildly to the camera as he walks through lavish Knightsbridge, “the BBC have asked me, Shabaz Ali, to answer one burning question: are billionaires bad?” You would be forgiven for thinking that this was another documentary of the kind the channel is known for: well-intentioned and well-made programmes, fronted by presenters such as Stacey Dooley and Zara McDermott.

Then the camera zooms out to reveal another camera pointed in Ali’s face, and the music stops: “Er, yeah,” he says. “They are!” He strides off, mock end credits playing at triple speed.

As it turns out, Shabaz Asks: Are Billionaires Bad? isn’t one of those BBC Three documentaries that boils down important societal goings-on for gen Z, but rather a parody of the genre.

It’s a bit of a risk to send up one of the things your channel is best known for, as if ITV starte

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  Shabaz Asks: Are Billionaires Bad? review – a hilarious spoof that’s like Philomena Cunk meets Louis Theroux