Fake news is never out of today’s headlines. But in this latest Ian Hislop documentary taking the long view of a hot-button issue, he discovers fake news raking in cash or wreaking havoc long before our own confused, uncertain times. Ian mines history to identify what motivates fake news—from profit, power and politics to prejudice, paranoia and propaganda—as well as try to figure out what to do about it. In America and back home Ian meets, amongst others, someone whose fake news stories have reached millions and a victim of fakery alleged to be a mastermind of the spurious ‘Pizzagate’ conspiracy. Viewers also get to see Ian doing something that’s never been captured on film before as he gets a taste of what it’s like to be ‘deepfaked.’