A 22-year-old woman who deceived her family and friends by faking a pregnancy and using a lifelike doll as a baby has signed a deal with a production company for a television documentary. Kira Cousins wore a fake baby bump and claimed to have given birth to a daughter named Bonnie-Leigh Joyce, but the ruse was uncovered when her mother discovered the 'baby' was a Reborn doll.
A PR firm representing Cousins confirmed that a public statement regarding the programme's broadcast date will be issued on Monday. The documentary is being produced by an undisclosed company, described by a family friend as a London-based firm specialising in premium documentaries for major streamers.
The family friend, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed disgust at Cousins profiting from the controversy. 'I am not surprised Kira is capitalising on this. She will be thriving off all the attention. It's not right that she is making money from what she has put people through,' the friend told the Record. 'She clearly needs help. She put those closest to her through a world of hurt and she is still going.'
In the weeks leading up to the fake birth, Cousins posted baby scans, a gender reveal party, and photos of gifts including a £1,000 pram. She also shared what is believed to be AI-generated footage of the 'baby' kicking and claimed ante-natal tests had detected a heart defect. After the hoax was exposed, screenshots showed her telling a man she claimed was the father that the baby had died.
In a statement shared online last week, Cousins said: 'I wasn't pregnant. There was no baby. I made it up and kept it going way too far. I faked scans, messages, a whole birth story, and acted like a doll was a real baby. I know how bad it is, I messed up. I just didn't know how to stop once I started.'
Reborn dolls, which can cost between £30 and £2,000, are highly realistic and some models mimic crying, produce fake tears, and wet nappies. Cousins has reportedly been seen enjoying a holiday abroad in Gran Canaria since the controversy emerged.
