Tucker Carlson.
Credit: X/@joshua_pieters
Tucker Carlson, a former Fox News anchor, found himself embroiled in a cleverly orchestrated prank revolving around the controversially altered photo of UK's Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton. British YouTubers Josh & Archie managed to deceive Carlson into conducting an 'exclusive' interview with a fake Kensington Palace insider, purportedly involved in the photo's manipulation, reported Hollywood news website Deadline.
Amid rumours of Middleton's disappearance, on March 10, Kensington Palace's verified X account posted a photo of Kate with her three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis on Mother's Day. They stated that Prince William, Kate's husband, took the picture earlier that week at their home in Windsor, but it was later proved to be fake and digitally altered.
In this elaborate scheme, Archie Manners assumed the role of a dismissed digital content creator from the Royal household, alleging that his termination stemmed from botching the editing of the Mother's Day image.
The duo went to great lengths, fabricating convincing employment documents from Kensington Palace, complete with outlandish clauses, which Carlson's team failed to scrutinize adequately, the publication said.
Unaware of the ploy, Carlson proceeded with the interview, expressing his earnest efforts to authenticate the guest's identity, albeit with a lingering skepticism. Manners, playing his part convincingly, attributed his dismissal to editing errors, adorned with cooked tales of removing a Christmas tree from the background of the photo, purportedly taken by Middleton's uncle.
Throughout the interview, Carlson appeared receptive, even praising Manners' narrative as "amazing." Satisfied with the exchange, Carlson's team indicated their intent to broadcast the interview to his substantial following.
However, the pranksters, Josh & Archie, eventually revealed their ploy, expressing concerns about disseminating misinformation to Carlson's vast audience. They highlighted their decision to unmask themselves, aiming to prevent the propagation of false rumors.
Manners admitted to stroking Carlson's ego by making up a story about offering him an 'exclusive' due to mainstream media reluctance, a claim designed to appeal to Carlson's sensibilities.
The susceptibility of media figures to deception is paramount in digital age, where ramifications of misinformation comes easy. As Josh & Archie continue their string of pranks, their notoriety in the YouTube sphere grows, marked by previous exploits involving prominent figures like Carole Baskin and Katie Hopkins.