TV Variety Show Production Team Exposed for Renting Illegal Cars in Italy and Fined.

Hunan TV Mango Channel’s variety show “Wife’s Romantic Journey 2025” is currently airing. However, netizens have discovered that the program crew was reported for illegally renting black cars during filming in Italy and were fined. The news has sparked discussions among the public.

According to the report by the well-known Italian TV program “Striscia laNotizia,” a Chinese television production team used unauthorized rental vehicles (NCC) for personnel transportation. Reporter Morello introduced that upon learning about some strange business vans transporting the Chinese production crew nearby, he went to investigate the filming location and indeed found vans driven by Chinese citizens engaged in NCC services. Morello stated that according to local laws, providing paid transportation services requires NCC authorization and a taxi license; otherwise, it is considered illegal.

The reporter mentioned that a long line of fleet with private license plates could be seen on-site, each vehicle displaying a red serial number. When the reporter approached to inquire if they were taxis, the drivers denied it and tried to prevent photography. Some immediately tore off the serial numbers, while others drove away directly. Most of these drivers had Chinese faces and were communicating with each other in Chinese.

Morello noted that many vehicles left empty, indicating that passengers were left behind. Shortly after, a group of Chinese production crew members arrived at the pickup point but could not find any vehicles. They had to carry their filming equipment and walk, then sneakily board a vehicle at a concealed area.

Based on the itinerary and locations disclosed by Italian media, this production crew is from the variety show “Wife’s Romantic Journey 2025” currently airing on Hunan TV Mango Channel. Images of Chinese actresses like Hu Jing and Qi Wei participating in the show have been leaked.

It was reported that the crew of the show, trying to evade detection, used black cars to travel to the airport and were intercepted by the police multiple times. Some members of the production crew were even forced to walk, and while some vehicles managed to escape, they were caught near the airport and the drivers were fined.

A Chinese driver locally authorized for NCC services revealed that the production crew was reported because their vehicles were too conspicuous, totaling 20 cars with over 100 people. When the crew headed to the airport, 8 vehicles out of the 20 were impounded, and the directing team had to resort to taking taxis to the airport. He hinted that the crew rented black cars to save money as the rental rates they offered were only appealing to black car operators, and they also hired cheap intern student translators locally.

After the scandal of renting black cars in Italy was exposed, following the invitation of celebrity couples to participate in the filming of the “International Season” of “Wife’s Romantic Journey 2025,” netizens expressed disbelief, calling it “embarrassing” and criticizing the show’s lack of professionalism. They believed that using uninsured vehicles without proper protection for the production crew not only disrespected foreign laws but also reflected poorly on representing the country abroad.