The man who 'entrapped' former Norwich world heavyweight boxing champion Herbie Hide is to feature in a new documentary series later this year.

Former journalist Mazher Mahmood was jailed for 15 months in 2016 after being found guilty of tampering with evidence in the collapsed drugs trial of singer Tulisa Contostavlos.

Eastern Daily Press:

Mahmood was convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice following a trial at the Old Bailey together with his driver, Alan Smith, from Mattishall.

The so-called King of Sting is the subject of a new three-part documentary, Fake Sheikh, to be screened on Amazon Prime later this year, which details the story of the former investigative reporter who used false identities to ensnare celebrities and sports stars, including Mr Hide.

Nigerian-born Mr Hide, a former two-time heavyweight champion of the world, was sentenced to 22 months in prison in 2013 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Eastern Daily Press:

It followed a sting operation engineered by Mahmood, who was then working for the Sun on Sunday newspaper.

During a meeting with Mahmood, who had adopted his Fake Sheikh persona, at Sprowston Manor Hotel in 2013 where sound recorders and video cameras had been set up, Mr Hide provided the telephone number of a co-defendant who supplied drugs.

Eastern Daily Press:

The former boxer, who has always maintained he only gave out the number as he was under pressure, was sentenced to 22 months imprisonment in 2013.

The sentence was later cut to 18 months on appeal.

After Mahmood, formerly of south London, was jailed in 2016 Mr Hide, who spoke to this paper about his time in prison, said it was "fantastic" he had been jailed, adding "I'm happy he got sentenced, that's all I can say. Very happy."

The three-part documentary series, Fake Sheikh, by Voltage TV, tracks Mahmood's meteoric rise to the highest ranks of the tabloid press — twice winning Reporter of the Year at the British Press Awards — and his subsequent downfall and imprisonment. 

Dan Grabiner, head of UK Originals Amazon Studios, said: "Original documentary storytelling is a key part of our growing UK slate, from nail-biting sport to intriguing whodunnits and stranger-than-fiction history.

"We’re excited to be working with tremendously talented filmmakers, both new directors and legends of the genre, to bring these remarkable human stories to a global audience.”