Banged Up Abroad
Season 15 National Geographic (*181) 21:00 Reality
Docu-reality series Banged Up Abroad (also known as Locked Up Abroad in the UK and India) follows people who’ve either been arrested in a foreign country or kidnapped and held against their will. And it’s an eye-opener, explains creator Bart Layton. “Some of the stories we’ve heard are so out of this world you’d think they’re part of a movie script. People have been through some incredibly difficult situations and are telling their tales.”
For research, Bart and his team get in contact with the US Department Of Home Affairs and find out more about US nationals who’ve been arrested and detained. “It’s a lot easier than it was a few years ago because of social media. We get so many messages and emails from people and family members who’re trying to get their stories out into the media.” But Bart is quick to remind viewers that the people in the show aren’t always nice – often they’re baddies. “In episode 1 of this new season, we meet a woman named Anelda – she’s been a drug mule for two years, which is bad enough. But she’s working for people who threaten to murder her family when she wants to quit.”
Most of the season’s subjects are somehow involved with the drug trade and it’s heart-breaking for the show’s producers. “We explain their stories in full. There’s no sugarcoating things here. We’re honest and we try to show our viewers the consequences of bad decisions and that when you’re travelling internationally, you have to accept the laws of the lands you’re in. One mistake and it’s over,” says Bart.