ABC NEWS STUDIOS COMMISSIONS HULU ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY SERIES ABOUT ASHLEY MADISON SCANDAL

ABC News Studios and Wall to Wall Media announce the production of a Hulu Original documentary series, "The Ashley Madison Affair"' (working title). The series is an in-depth, multipart documentary exploring the hack of an infidelity dating website for married people that caused shockwaves with one of the most damaging and scandalous data breaches of all time.

Ashley Madison was a popular site, signing up millions of would-be adulterers around the world. However, one July morning in 2015, as employees at the Toronto headquarters logged on to their computers, a message flashed up: "Shut down Ashley Madison immediately (or) we will release all customer records, profiles, sexual fantasies ... real names and addresses."

As Ashley Madison's owners were set to launch the company in a billion-dollar IPO, they refused to comply with the demands of the hackers, known as the "Impact Team." Thirty days later, the Impact Team made good on their threats and released almost 10 gigabytes of user details onto the dark web with disastrous consequences for people who had signed up to the site, ranging from suicide to blackmail to public shaming.

Featuring exclusive footage and untold first-hand interviews from those involved, the series explores infidelity, morality, cyber-shaming and blackmail. It tells the story of ordinary people with big secrets and a mystery that remains unsolved to this day.

Beth Hoppe is executive producer for ABC News Studios. Jeremy Dear and Fred Hepburn are executive producers, Shaun Trevisick and Carla Francome are producers, and Johanna Hamilton is director, all with Wall to Wall Media.

ABOUT ABC NEWS STUDIOS

ABC News Studios, inspired by ABC News' trusted reporting, is a premium, narrative non-fiction original production house and commissioning partner of series and specials. ABC News Studios champions untold and authentic stories driving the cultural zeitgeist spanning true-crime, investigations, pop culture, and news-adjacent stories. Its subsidiary, ABC News Films, acquires and produces feature documentary films.

About Wall to Wall Media

Wall to Wall has been supplying innovative, hugely popular, award-winning programming around the world since 1987. The hallmark of Wall to Wall's productions is a commitment to quality, innovation and brilliant story-telling - and many of the company's shows combine elements from different genres, whether in pioneering living history projects or in the many factual and drama formats they have made over the years.

Wall to Wall Media has a strong track record in delivering successful global shows, with several long running hits. Their recent international formats include the latest acclaimed genealogy series, Who Do You Think You Are? (BBC/NBC), Glow Up (BBC/Netflix), Becoming You (Apple TV+) and Narcowars (Nat Geo). Wall to Wall Media is part of the Warner Bros. International Television Production group.

About Warner Bros International Television Production

Founded in 2009, Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) produces local scripted and non-scripted programming through its network of local production operations of 21 production companies in 13 territories. Across the UK - Wall To Wall, Twenty Twenty and Ricochet. In Europe - France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, Denmark & Sweden, and in Australia and New Zealand. WBITVP's production operations are responsible for original programming, as well as local versions of formats owned and/or controlled by Warner Bros., such as First Dates, The Bachelor, The Repair Shop, FBoy Island, Who Do You Think You Are? and Glow Up. Scripted series include Gossip Girl, The Twelve, 30 Somethings, Love Me, The Mentalist and Pretty Little Liars. Where WBITVP has no local production capability, it licenses Warner Bros. formats to third parties. WBITVP represents formats from third-party production companies and broadcasters such as North South Productions, Hungry Bear, Radio Karate and CBC Canada.