The 12 space cadets included three moles designated as actors by Channel 4. The other nine were selected after psychological tests to select the suggestible ones easiest to fool.
After they were introduced to Johnny Vaughan as the TV presenter who was covering their space flight they were clearly rather easy to fool. They surrendered their watches in scenes not televised and boarded a plane with its blinds down.
When they arrived at Lydd Airport they climbed aboard a helicopter which also had its blinds down for the trip to the space centre, not in Russia, but in deepest Suffolk.
Full marks to Oleg, a City banker who boarded the helicopter, barked at the cadets in Russian before introducing himself as a local colonel.
"I call your name. I take you to your barracks. You understand?" he continued.
Ryan McBride's name was not called out.
"Your name," snapped Oleg at the scruffy and hairy Scotsman.
"You are not on list. Stay!" Ryan was left behind while Oleg stepped outside to call HQ.
Then a few minutes later Ryan received more instructions: "You. Go to bus!"
"Where the hell's the production crew?" asked one of the cadets in a segment not edited out.
The nine cadets arrived in a Russian space center complete with the initials USSR and pictures of Lenin printed on the coffee mugs.
Neil Armstrong
According to Johnny Vaughan, Neil Armstrong commented on Space Cadets.
He reportedly said that if Channel 4 "pulled it off" he would eat his helmet.
Advice
"Everything you say in the video diary will remain private and confidential during your time in the facility although it may of course be broadcast."