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TV kidney competition was a hoax | TV kidney competition was a hoax |
(30 minutes later) | |
A Dutch TV contest which purported to show a dying woman choose a patient to receive her kidneys was a hoax. | A Dutch TV contest which purported to show a dying woman choose a patient to receive her kidneys was a hoax. |
The "donor" in the show was in fact an actress - though the three people vying for an organ were real patients in need of a kidney transplant. | The "donor" in the show was in fact an actress - though the three people vying for an organ were real patients in need of a kidney transplant. |
The three knew that The Big Donor Show, which aired on Friday, was not real. The producers say it was made to highlight the shortage of Dutch donors. | The three knew that The Big Donor Show, which aired on Friday, was not real. The producers say it was made to highlight the shortage of Dutch donors. |
Before the hoax was revealed, the show had attracted widespread criticism. | Before the hoax was revealed, the show had attracted widespread criticism. |
"We are not giving away a kidney here, that is going too far even for us," presenter Patrick Lodiers said at the moment when the fake donor was apparently about to reveal her choice of patient. | "We are not giving away a kidney here, that is going too far even for us," presenter Patrick Lodiers said at the moment when the fake donor was apparently about to reveal her choice of patient. |
The 37-year-old "donor", identified only as Lisa, was to make her choice based on the contestants' history and profile, and conversation with their family and friends. | |
Earlier, Lisa had said that it felt like playing God. "Think of it as playing Santa Claus," replied the presenter. | |
'No losers' | |
Viewers were invited to send in their advice by text message during the 80-minute show. | Viewers were invited to send in their advice by text message during the 80-minute show. |
HAVE YOUR SAY Bad taste or not, the programme has achieved its goal of raising awareness of the issue Rob Angell, UK class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6491&edition=2&ttl=20070601211206">Send us your comments "We have only done this cry for help because we want to solve a problem that shouldn't be a problem," a producer told a news conference after the show. | |
Dutch Education Minister Ronald Plasterk hailed the show as a "fantastic stunt". | |
Caroline Klingers, a kidney patient who was watching the programme at a treatment centre in the town of Bussum, also praised it. | |
"It's good for the publicity and there are no losers," she said. | |
Earlier in the week Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende had criticised the programme, saying it could damage the reputation of the Netherlands. | |
The were calls from lawmakers to ban the show and Dutch embassies received complaints about it. | |
But Mr Lodiers said it was "reality that was shocking" because about 200 people die each year while waiting for a kidney in the Netherlands, and the average waiting time is more than four years. |