Tomoaki Hamatsu, better known as Nasubi, a comedian who appeared on the extreme Japanese game show ‘A Life In Prizes’, has given very painful details of his 15-month ordeal, which included being videotaped eating dog food, being held in total seclusion, and having to compete in tasks to survive. The show, which debuted in 1998, attracted up to 30 million people at its height and became an international hit.

Nasubi, who stayed naked during the broadcast, was locked in an empty apartment and had to win prizes to meet basic needs like food. He was unaware that his actions were being broadcast to millions across Japan. His story is now featured in a Hulu documentary titled The Contestant.

“I came across his story when I was working on a different project and got lost down one of those internet rabbit holes,” Clair Titley, director of The Contestant, told BBC.

“But I found that a lot of what I had come across was almost derogatory. Nothing had really talked about Nasubi’s story in depth. [I had] all these questions, such as, Why did he stay in there, and what effect it had on him. So I contacted him with that premise, that I wanted to make a film about his experience.”

Nasubi, who is now 48, claimed that he was left feeling nervous and confused by the lack of information provided by the producers. Only a phone for emergencies was provided to him, and he had to write 300 sweepstakes entries every day to win necessities like crackers, which prevented him from going hungry. It took him three weeks to earn his first reward.

Nasubi admitted that, while initially excited, he soon became overwhelmed by the loneliness and isolation. “The hardest part was definitely the loneliness,” he said, adding that he struggled to overcome it.

Prince William has opened up about how a childhood experience with his late mother, Princess Diana, influenced him to help the homeless. In his upcoming documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, the 42-year-old recalls his first visit to ‘The Passage’, a London charity dedicated to helping homeless people. Accompanied by his brother, Prince Harry, and Diana, William first visited the organisation when he was 11.

“My mother took me to The Passage; she took Harry and I both there,” the Prince of Wales recalled in a newly released clip from the two-part series, as per CNN. “I’d never been to anything like that before, and I was a bit anxious as to what to expect.” His mother lightened the mood, “having a laugh and joking with everyone,” putting him at ease, the Royal added.

The visit had a profound impact on Prince William. “I remember thinking, ‘Well, if everyone’s not got a home, they’re all going to be really sad.’ But it was incredible how happy an environment it was… That’s when it dawned on me that there are other people out there who don’t have the same life as you do.”

The documentary, directed by BAFTA winner Leo Burley, chronicles the Prince’s Homewards initiative — a five-year project launched in June 2023 aimed at ending homelessness in six flagship locations across the UK. It also highlights the stories of individuals experiencing homelessness or struggling with it.

Homelessness is “a complex societal issue”, he stressed, but added it can be eradicated. “Achieving this will require a movement that creates systemic change. A change that focuses on prevention rather than management. And one that ensures all young people have truly affordable options to live and thrive independently.”

The documentary also addresses criticisms over the Prince’s privileged background and whether he is suited to tackle such issues. In another clip, he responded that he had “no other agenda than desperately trying to help people” who are in need. “I see that as part of my role.”

The documentary will premiere on ITV at 2:30 am IST on Thursday, October 31. The second episode will air at the same time the following day.