Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter and his late brother Aaron Carter — and the controversies and accusations swirling around both of them — will be the subject of the latest high-profile documentary series on Investigation Discovery. Coming off the tremendous success of the recent “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” ID and its sister streamer Max will jointly run the four-part docuseries “Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter” over two nights, on Monday, May 27, and Tuesday, May 28, at 9 p.m. ET.
In particular, the series will investigate the accusations of sexual assault against Nick Carter by three women, and will also dive into younger brother Aaron Carter’s struggles with mental health and substance abuse, leading to his death in 2022. “Fallen Idols” will additionally look at the relationship between the brothers, which took a turn when Aaron Carter began criticizing Nick Carter for those allegations and supporting his accusers.
“Fallen Idols” includes interviews with Melissa Schuman, Ashley Repp and Shannon “Shay” Ruth, all of whom have alleged sexual assault by Nick Carter. Also interviewed is an unnamed “member of the Carter family,” as well as friends including Nick Carter’s ex-girlfriend Kaya Jones and Aaron Carter’s former fiancé Melanie Martin.
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“‘Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter’ not only offers a deeper understanding around the allegations, but also chronicles the intense backlash Nick’s accusers have faced since their decision to speak publicly and the lasting impact that has had on their lives,” ID said in its press release on the series. “‘Fallen Idols’ explores the dark side of fame and fraught family dynamics but also the intense challenges faced by accusers who come forward against celebrities and pop culture icons in today’s modern world.”
Schuman, a member of the 2000s girl group Dream, accused Nick Carter of assault in a 2017 blog post. She claimed that in 2003, Nick Carter raped her in his Santa Monica apartment while taking a break from shooting the TV horror film “The Hollow.” (When Schuman went public, the Los Angeles County prosecutors determined it was outside the 10-year statute of limitations. But Schuman filed suit against Nick Carter in 2023 after a change in California’s sexual assault statute of limitations laws.)
Nick Carter wrote in a 2017 statement, “I am shocked and saddened by Ms. Schuman’s accusations. Melissa never expressed to me while we were together or at any time since that anything we did was not consensual… It is contrary to my nature and everything I hold dear to intentionally cause someone discomfort or harm.”
In 2022, Ruth filed a sexual battery lawsuit against Nick Carter, claiming he assaulted her and infected her with HPV in February 2001 after a Backstreet Boys concert in Tacoma, Wash. She alleged that Nick Carter invited her back to his tour bus, raped her and assaulted her when she said she’d tell others about the attack.
“This claim about an incident that supposedly took place more than 20 years ago is not only legally meritless but also entirely untrue,” Nick Carter’s attorney, Michael Holtz, said at the time of filing, in a statement toPvNew. “Unfortunately, for several years now, Ms. Ruth has been manipulated into making false allegations about Nick – and those allegations have changed repeatedly and materially over time… there is nothing to this claim whatsoever, which we have no doubt the courts will quickly realize.”
Meanwhile, according to Rolling Stone, a “Jane Doe A.R.” sued Nick Carter in August, alleging that he raped her when she was 15 in 2003. The publication also said that Nick Carter is currently suing Schuman, Ruth and one other accuser for defamation.
As for Aaron Carter, he was found unresponsive in his home in November 2022 and declared dead. The manner of his death was ruled an accident by theLos Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner, with the first cause of death cited as drowning and the second being difluoroethane — aningredient used in cans of compressed air— along with Xanax.
Aaron Carter had previously revealed that he had been diagnosed with multiple mental health issues. He also struggled with substance abuse, was arrested for DUI and lost custody (along with Martin) to his son over domestic violence and drug concerns.
“During this period, Aaron Carter decided to support Nick’s accusers, while battling addiction and struggling with his own mental health, stoking a very public feud between the two brothers in the lead up to Aaron’s tragic death in 2022,” ID added.
Ish Entertainment produces “Fallen Idols” for ID. Natasha Bowler is producer and co-director; showrunner is Elissa Halperin and director is Tara Malone. Michael Hirschorn,Jess Antonini, Simon Ardizzone and Halperin are executive producers.
ID and Max are likely hoping to generate the same kind of interest that “Quiet on Set” generated following its premiere in March. That show, which revealed the toxic work conditions behind children’s shows in the 1990s and early 2000s — specifically several Nickelodeon series — pulled off this is the best single-week performance Nielsen has ever recorded for a Max title.
Here’s a first look at “Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter”:
