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Where is Chris Hansen now? Robert Pattinson's 'Takedown' role sparks buzz amid 'To Catch a Predator' show controversy
Although To Catch a Predator ended nearly two decades ago in 2008, Chris Hansen has continued working on crime investigations.
Chris Hansen is back in the spotlight after A24 released the first trailer for Primetime starring Robert Pattinson as the longtime To Catch a Predator host. The film revisits the height of the controversial NBC series and highlights its legacy.
The newly released trailer shows Pattinson recreating Hansen's famous line, "Won't you have a seat right there?" as he confronts a suspected online predator. The film is directed by Lance Oppenheim and focuses on the production of To Catch a Predator during its peak in 2006.
Alongside Pattinson, the cast includes Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Matthew Maher and Bokeem Woodbine.
The trailer has similarly raised fresh interest in Hansen's career after the show's cancellation.
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What is Chris Hansen doing now?
Although To Catch a Predator ended nearly two decades ago in 2008, Hansen has continued working on crime investigations in a mission that Entertainment Weekly described as a “take down would-be sexual predators.”
Hansen was chosen to host the Investigation Discovery series Killer Instinct in 2015 when NBC decided not to extend his contract. Hansen interviewed important witnesses, victims, and law enforcement officials in each episode of the series, which focused on a distinct homicide case.
He later fronted the syndicated programme Crime Watch Daily in 2016, where he introduced Hansen vs. Predator, an independent version of his signature sting format.
In 2019, Hansen launched his YouTube channel, Have a Seat With Chris Hansen, where he interviews alleged online predators and discusses criminal investigations. The channel remains active and has become a platform for updates on his investigations and livestreams.
Hansen recently spoke with political commentator Megyn Kelly on her podcast show about the case of Nolan Wells, an 18-year-old who vanished on July 4 and was discovered dead two days later.
Hansen also hosts Takedown With Chris Hansen, which premiered in 2022 on the streaming platform TruBlu. The programme follows a similar format to To Catch a Predator, with Hansen confronting adults accused of attempting to meet minors they contacted online.
According to TruBlu, Hansen's investigations over two decades have contributed to more than 500 arrests. The series continues to release new episodes.
His investigations remain active. In 2025, Hansen worked with law enforcement in Harford County, Maryland, during a sting operation that led to the arrests of nine men accused of attempting to meet minors for sex. According to People, one suspect allegedly messaged an undercover deputy that he hoped he would not "see Chris Hansen" waiting for him.
Catch a Predator still remains controversial
To Catch a Predator began as a Dateline NBC segment and then proceeded to become a standalone programme that aired between 2004 and 2007.
The show became a raging success, averaging more than seven million viewers during its final season. However, criticism grew over its production methods and ethical concerns.
One of the biggest controversies came during a 2006 investigation in Murphy, Texas. Prosecutors alleged attorney Bill Conradt planned to meet an underage decoy. After he failed to appear at the sting house, the production accompanied law enforcement to his home. Conradt died by suicide as officers entered. His estate later sued NBC, and the case was settled out of court.
NBC then cancelled the programme in 2008 without giving an official reason.
The criticism carried over decades later. An X user wrote under the Primetime trailer, “Umm… I don’t hate it, but was this something that we needed to make?”
Another user called it “the most memeable true-crime show” and praised A24 for the trailer. The user wrote, “A24 somehow took one of the most memeable true-crime shows of all time and turned it into something that feels genuinely unsettling.”
