Backstreet Boy Nick Carter: From pop icon to documentary scandal

The Backstreet Boys, one of pop music’s most celebrated boy bands, captivated fans worldwide in the 90s. Yet, beneath their stardom lurked darker issues. Allegations of sexual assault have surfaced against the band's prominent member, Nick Carter. These serious claims are brought to light in the new documentary series "Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter".

Since their formation in 1993, the Backstreet Boys quickly ascended to international fame, with their debut album going gold and platinum in 38 countries and selling over 10 million copies globally. Nick Carter, Brian Littrell, Howie Dorough, and AJ McLean have released ten albums, the most recent in 2022. Despite their somewhat waning peak of fame, classics like "I Want It That Way" and "Everybody" remain beloved. Amid continuing success, allegations of sexual assault against Carter have persisted.

In the documentary series produced by Investigation Discovery, "Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter", interviews with three women, Melissa Schuman, Ashley Repp, and Shay Ruth, who accuse Carter of inappropriate sexual conduct, are featured. Carter sought legal recourse against two accusers in the past year.

The documentary's trailer sheds light on Nick's battles with mental illness and substance abuse and his strained relationship with his late brother, Aaron, who passed away in November 2022 and had publicly supported the accusers. The preview includes impactful snippets of their testimonies.

“I said, 'No, I don't want to have sex.' And every time I said 'no', he would become very angry," one accuser shares, while another reveals their disbelief. In support of Carter, fans launched campaigns, yet Aaron, not aligning with Nick, disclosed online the intimidation he faced, including a dead bird left on his porch, hinting at Nick's involvement. “It only started after I started speaking up for rape victims!" Aaron’s statement intensifies the narrative shared in the trailer.

The documentary "Fallen Idols: Nick And Aaron Carter" is set to premiere on Tuesday, May 7, on the Investigation Discovery channel and the Max platform. Its availability in Poland remains uncertain. Meanwhile, HBO Max is streaming "Silence on Set. The Dark Side of Children's TV", a miniseries uncovering pedophilia incidents on beloved Nickelodeon shows.