It’s not every day that reality TV lovers see former prisoners living alongside famous celebrities. But, Channel 4’s new docu-series takes a look at life in prison through the eyes of some familiar faces including Eastenders actors, former Gogglebox stars, and MPs.
The recognizable men taking part in the show are set to live alongside their cell mates, reformed criminals, including Akhi Ayman, Chet Sandhu, Abdul Bangura, and Kevin Lane. Fans take to X (Twitter) as the show airs each week to share that they’re “obsessed” with the series as a singer appearing on the show looks like a “deer in the headlights.”
Akhi Ayman served time in prison
Channel 4‘s Banged Up aims to explore what the UK’s prison system is really like.
Despite it appearing that the celebrities on the show are living with real inmates, all the prison inhabitants featured have served their time. They’re now ex-cons.
Akhi Ayman is one of the reformed convicts appearing on the show after his stint in prison.
He served two and a half years for a Section 3 Robbery, writes Channel 4. He’s now a community activist and religious motivational speaker with half a million Instagram followers (@akhi_ayman).
Akhi lives alongside singer HRVY on the show who fans say looked like a “deer in the headlights” in episode 2.
Banged Up: Chet Sandhu
Another former convict, Chet Sandhu, appears on Banged Up. He and former Conservative MP Neil Parish share a cell during the show.
Chet served seven years in prison for crimes including: “Various including Conspiracy to Supply Class A drugs, Blackmail, GBH and Control of Prostitution”.
He is now a landlord, businessman, and author of multiple books.
MP shares cell with Kevin Lane
During Banged Up episode 3, which airs on November 14, MP Jonny Mercer meets his new cellmate.
He’s set to live alongside Kevin Lane – a former prison inmate who served 24 years inside for offences including Kidnap and Murder.
Nowadays, Kevin runs a company that imports prefabricated homes from Turkey. He also released an autobiography in 2020 called Fitted Up and Fighting Back.
Fans of the show have been taking to social media to share their thoughts on the series so far.
One wrote on X: “…Was a bit more hardcore than I thought with it being prison, and celebs in it. But it’s a bit more mad than you think. Great TV…”
More described the Channel 4 show as “brilliant.”
WATCH BANGED UP TUESDAYS AT 9:15 PM ON CHANNEL 4
