Up, up and not away for TV Space Cadets

They joyously sang along to Leaving On AJet Plane and thought they would soon be heading into orbit.

But the starry-eyed victims of a reality TV hoax remained in blissful ignorance of the truth last night, as they were introduced to viewers.

Channel 4 series Space Cadets has fooled nine people into thinking they will be sent into space.

The first programme last night showed them boarding a plane, expecting to be flown to Russia for three weeks of intensive training.

In fact, they have been taken to an airbase in Sussex which has been made to look Russian. Host Johnny Vaughan will reveal the hoax to them next week.