Huge reality TV show axed – despite starring EastEnders and Gogglebox stars
The BAFTA-nominated reality series Banged Up is the latest show to be cancelled by Channel 4, despite the first series being a ratings and critical success.
The series launched in November 2023 and followed seven famous faces as they experienced what it was like to be in prison. They were all sent to HMP Shrewsbury, a real-life decommissioned prison, and were locked up for eight days with a group of ex-convicts so they could see what life is really like behind bars in the UK.
The celebrities were overseen by former prison officers and had to live by current prison rules, and they spent their time chatting to their cellmates about the justice system, their crimes and the prison system. They were not spared the tougher side of prison life, with celebrity participant Sid Owen even being warned by a prison officer to be careful of photos of his children he was taking in with him as they would be used as currency amongst imprisoned paedophiles.
The first series featured former EastEnder Sid, ex-Conservative MP Neil Parish, comic actor Tom Rosenthal, Gogglebox’s Marcus Luther, singer HRVY, columnist Peter Hitchens and former minister Johnny Mercer.
They were housed with reformed former inmates including David McMillan, who had served 23 years for drug offences, Gary Williams, who was in prison for more than 13 years for crimes including possession of a firearm, and Kevin Lane, who had spent 24 years in prison for crimes including kidnap and murder.
The series won praise from critics, with The Guardian calling it “a reality show that feels real,” and The Independent describing it as a “compelling reality experiment,” and it was nominated for a BAFTA for best reality series.
It was reported that a second series had been commissioned by Channel 4 even before the first series had aired, with the plan being to focus on female inmates, but now The Sun has reported that they have learnt from an insider that the show has been scrapped.
“Producers were shocked by Channel 4’s decision to axe the show. Pundits raved about the show and it was loved by viewers, so it seems a strange decision to get rid of it. It must purely be for financial reasons,” the source said.
Channel 4, meanwhile have commented: “Banged Up was a unique one-off social experiment that was only commissioned for one series.”
Other series that Channel 4 have cancelled in recent months include reality series Rise and Fall, Don’t Tell The Bride, Steph’s Packed Lunch and SAS: Who Dares Wins, while the channel’s soap, Hollyoaks, has faced a cast cull and other cost-cutting measures.
