Behind the Curtain: An Investigation into Corruption in the UK Adult Industry.

After two years of undercover investigations, interviews, and evidence-gathering, my investigation into the UK adult industry has revealed a troubling reality: the sector remains tightly controlled by a small circle of powerful male directors who exert disproportionate influence across nearly every corner of the business. From strip clubs and publishing houses to porn production companies, award ceremonies, and even individual photographers, the pattern is the same: control is concentrated, and exploitation remains a cornerstone of the industry’s operations.

The “Big Five”

At the heart of this structure is who I refer to as the “big five”, a group of industry directors who, through their networks of companies and affiliations, dominate the landscape of adult entertainment in the United Kingdom. While their official titles vary, the result of their combined power is clear: they dictate the terms, control the flow of money, and maintain the ability to make or break careers within the industry.

Undercover consulting detective, Romeo (left) and a well known adult industry performer (middle) pose on the red carpet at an adult industry awards.

The monopolistic nature of this control is particularly damaging to the women working within the field. My evidence gathered indicates that these men use both financial leverage and informal blacklisting tactics to ensure compliance with their rules. Anyone who challenges their authority risks being quietly barred from opportunities, not just at one company but across the industry as a whole.

Exploitation Disguised as Opportunity

Over the course of my investigation, performers and industry workers consistently exhibit a cycle of financial exploitation. Contracts are often structured in ways that favour strip clubs, production companies, and other adult industry organisations, leaving women with little bargaining power and low compensation compared to the revenue generated by their labour. This imbalance is exacerbated by the fact that nearly all paths to meaningful career advancement are controlled by the same small group of industry directors.

UK adult industry performers with our undercover consulting detective, Romeo (middle) on Penthouse balcony in London.

Even spaces meant to celebrate performers, such as industry award ceremonies, are implicated. Evidence suggests that these events are less about recognising talent and more about reinforcing loyalty to the “big five.” Nominees and winners are frequently tied to companies and organisations within the group’s orbit, ensuring that prestige remains “in-house.”

Sponsorship Under Siege

Perhaps most revealing is the influence the “big five” exert over the sponsors of these award ceremonies. Sponsorship deals, supposedly opportunities for industry-wide collaboration, are tightly controlled. Companies that wish to have their brand associated with these events must first prove their loyalty to “the big five.”

If an organisation or company refuses to participate in exploitative practices, or attempts to operate outside of the control structure, they risk exclusion, which I have proof from my investigation. Several sources have also confirmed that businesses, and individual performers, can be blacklisted from sponsoring or partnering at high-profile industry events if they do not “play by the rules.” The result is a self-sustaining ecosystem: only those willing to perpetuate exploitation are permitted visibility, while independent or dissenting voices are shut out.

The Illusion of Independence

Many organisations present themselves as independent, whether they are magazines, production studios, or photography agencies. Yet documents and testimonies suggest that behind the scenes, these outlets often funnel back to the same central figures (the “big five”). What appears as diversity of choice for performers is, in practice, a carefully maintained illusion.

UK adult industry models and performers at an event in Birmingham organised by Romeo, our head consulting detective.

This web of influence extends even to those entering the industry at the most grassroots level. From the moment a woman begins working in a strip club or approaches certain well-known industry photographers for a portfolio, her career trajectory is already shaped by the reach of these men. Deviation from their expectations is punished with exclusion, and compliance is rewarded with limited, though still highly controlled, opportunities.

Hostage to a System

The evidence collected over two years paints a bleak picture: women in the UK adult industry are not free agents navigating an open marketplace, but individuals trapped within a system where their livelihoods depend on the approval of literally a handful of men. The threat of being blacklisted looms over every decision they make, ensuring that silence and compliance remain the safest, if not the only option.

Our consulting detective, Romeo (left) with a UK known adult industry model (middle) and stripper (right) in Birmingham.

A Call for Change

What emerges from this investigation is a clear need for accountability and reform. As long as the industry is run by the “big five” who place profit and control above fairness and safety, exploitation will persist. Transparency, worker protections, and greater diversity in leadership are essential if the adult industry in the UK is ever to move beyond its current state of systemic corruption.

Until then, the “big five” remain firmly in control, and the women who make the industry possible remain hostage to their demands.

A full report of the investigation was delivered to various UK authorities and regulatory bodies, and regulations have started to be implemented. Unfortunately, the “big five” still remain active and dominant over the industry… for now!!!