The highly anticipated Boris Becker documentary from John Battsek and Lorton Entertainment (the production company behind the upcoming Wagatha Christie docu-series) has landed at Apple TV+. A title and release date hasn’t yet been confirmed.
The documentary follows tennis superstar Becker as he faces bankruptcy and criminal charges after he was convicted of hiding his assets. “I’ve hit my [rock] bottom,” a red-eyed Becker says in the first trailer for the project (above). “I don’t know what to make of it.”
The two-part series is directed by Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney (“Taxi to the Dark Side”) and produced by Battsek (“Searching for Sugar Man”), who spent three years filming Becker until he was sent to prison in April of this year.
“The untitled series aims to explore every aspect of the man who became a tennis sensation after winning the Wimbledon Championships at the age of just 17, going on to win 49 career titles including six Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal, as well as his high profile, sometimes tumultuous personal life,” reads the logline.
Becker shot to fame as a teenager following his Wimbledon triumph before going on to become a coach, commentator, broadcaster and tabloid staple thanks to his numerous relationships (including an infamous liaison in a restaurant broom cupboard that resulted in a daughter).
Following his retirement he experienced a drop in income but not lifestyle and by 2017 was said to have racked up $50 million worth of debt, in part due to what Becker described as “an expensive divorce” as well as child maintenance payments to multiple women.
He was made bankrupt that year but soon found himself facing criminal charges after he was accused of hiding £2.5 million ($3.1 million) worth of assets during the proceedings. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to two and a half years in prison.
As well as numerous interviews with Becker himself, the series also includes contributions from his family, friends and colleagues, including tennis stars such as John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Novak Djokovic, Mats Wilander and Michael Stich.
The series is a co-pro between Battsek’s Ventureland and Gibney’s Jigsaw Productions, from Lorton Entertainment.
