Welcome to Wrexham has been accused by fans of using an AI photo in one of its recent episodes. The photo in question appeared in Season 2, Episode 5 during the backstory about Wrexham Lager beer brewers.
The Welcome to Wrexham documentary series has become a global smash in recent years. The fly on the wall docuseries chronicles Hollywood stars Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds‘ purchase and ownership of Wrexham, one of the oldest football teams in the world.
The first season of the documentary received an Emmy nomination, and the second series is currently airing. Season 2 charts Wrexham’s dramatic promotion from the National League last season and returning to the fourth tier of English football for the first time in 15 years.
Welcome to Wrexham documentary accused of passing AI photo off as historical image
However, the Welcome to Wrexham documentary has generated controversy recently after fans think it tried to pass off an AI photo as a legitimate historical image.
The controversy arose during a recent episode (Season 2, Episode 5) which showed an unusual image of supposed Welsh labourers. The sepia-toned photograph depicts 12 Welsh laborers at Wrexham Lager brewery, established by German immigrants in 1882.
However, eagle-eyed viewers noticed a number of oddities that have led fans to believe the image is AI-generated.
The image was shared to Reddit with the text: ‘TV show ‘Welcome to Wrexham’ just tried to pass this off as a real photo. What do you reckon?’
Among the peculiarities were what appeared to be a floating beer jug, distorted faces and tankards being generally out of place.
“This is almost certainly AI,” one person wrote.
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Fans think they are a number of historical inaccuracies with the photo
One user pointed out that these items were were not typically used by working-class individuals of yesteryear. They said: “From a basic historical perspective, a bunch of details are wrong.
“Half the men are holding silver tankards which isn’t something working-class people typically owned, much less drank beer from. let’s assume this ‘photo’ was taken around the turn of the twentieth century. For comparison, the oldest surviving photo of Wrexham brewery is from 1910.”
Others pointed out the unusual physical characteristics. They said: “Then there’s the guy on the left with some wonky eyes and a peculiar unrealistic left hand — hands are the best way to spot an AI-generated picture. And there is a man on the far right who looks like he’s straight out of a different era.”
However, other users suggested: “I think it’s a real photo but AI-enhanced to make what would be a fairly blurry picture sharp. However, there are limits to AI technology.”
The backstory of the Wrexham Lager beer brewers
The image appeared during an opening monologue from Ryan Reynolds where he told the backstory of Wrexham Lager beer brewers.
He said: “In 1882, Otto Isler and Ivan Levinstein, two German immigrants to the UK who were unimpressed by the selection of local ales, set out to replicate the lagers they loved from back home.
“The result was Wrexham Lager, which they sold under the slogan, ‘Absolutely pure and wholesome’. Over the next few decades, their endeavor grew.
“Wrexham gained in popularity, not just at home but abroad. It traveled the British army. Yes, it was enjoyed by local Welsh laborers, but it also was beginning to find customers as far away as Peru, the Sudan, and Australia.”
So far, neither the production company or Disney+ have responded to the claims around the Wrexham doc’s AI photo.