Artist Oscar Zia exposes all: boyfriends reality show reveals heartbreak and betrayal

Oscar Zia, Edvin Törnblom and Sebastian Hammarberg drop guards in SVT's raw new series, where friendship collides with romantic feelings.

Three Stockholm friends thought they were signing up for a light-hearted reality show about their careers and daily lives. They were wrong.

SVT’s new eight-part series Boyfriends premiered on 4 October 2026, delivering what the trio describes as «raw and naked» glimpses into male friendship, complete with jealousy, heartbreak and one member falling hopelessly in love with another.

«It’s Difficult to Play When There Are Three»

The concept is simple: three men in their 30s, always surrounded by female friends, now forced to rely on each other as girlfriends, partners and families reshape their world.

«Bögar måste hålla ihop» (queers must stick together), says Edvin Törnblom, according to SVT.

But that solidarity was tested when Törnblom fell romantically for Oscar Zia during filming, a revelation described by the comedian as «the biggest heartbreak of my life». 

Heartbreak On Camera

«I experienced the biggest heartbreak of my life on TV», Törnblom admitted in the SVT interview.

«Yes, it hurts. But at the same time, we’ve all been there – everyone can relate to heartbreak». 

Zia acknowledges the vulnerability required: «There’s no going back now. It can be about jealousy, about envy. Some risks ending up on the outside». 

He confessed being slightly apprehensive about the premiere, noting that «not just the most beautiful sides of me» will be shown to viewers.

Raw And Naked

A recurring theme in the series is whether friendship is possible when attraction and sex are on the table. Their bond is put to the test.

«Closer than this you cannot come», Zia told SVT. «There’s so much life in this series, both the ugly and the beautiful are included».

Sebastian Hammarberg, the third in the trio and extremely cute (my opinion), adds perspective: «It becomes a lovely mix of glam, love and intrigue. The series is like ‘Sex and the City’ but with three queers instead»,

The Price Of Exposure

The self-revelatory nature of the series comes at a cost, Törnblom concedes: «Sure, it damages. But that’s who I am, I’m open as a person and want to share. It’s like a drug». 

Still, he insists audiences shouldn’t expect grim realism: «This isn’t documentary sink realism we’ve made». 

What’s On Offer

Eight episodes follow Törnblom, Zia and Hammarberg through parties, everyday life, career ambitions and dating struggles.

Lots of laughter is promised – as are tears, conflicts and jealousy, as the trio tries to understand each other and find themselves.

The Bottom Line

«Stockholm’s funniest queers» examines male friendship in SVT’s new reality venture. What began as a supposedly lighthearted recording about their careers transformed into something far more serious during production.

Particularly for Törnblom, the experience became all-consuming when unrequited feelings emerged for his friend Zia.

«The pain shocked me», he said. «But at the same time, we’ve all been there, everyone can relate to heartbreak». 

Queer representation in Swedish television has evolved dramatically since the first openly gay characters appeared in Nordic dramas. With «Boyfriends», SVT takes the unprecedented step of placing three real-life queer friends in the unfiltered spotlight of reality television, exploring whether modern masculinity can survive when vulnerability becomes content.