Blunkett 'Banged Up' For Channel Five

David Blunkett will confront juvenile crime in a new series Channel Five is billing as a “bold social experiment”.
Made by Indie producer Shine North, ‘Banged Up’ will place the former home secretary at the head of a parole board in a prison that mixes repeat offenders with young people who are at risk of lapsing into a criminal life.
Contributors will be filmed as they attempt to rehabilitate themselves, the series will also feature testimonies from former criminals.
Blunkett said: “With ever increasing prison numbers, with longer sentences and with a continuing disquiet about the revolving door of re-offending, anything that can add to a range of measures for educating, and in creating a grasp of reality, is worth the experiment now being undertaken by Shine North in conjunction with Five."
Steve Gowans, Five's Head of Factual Entertainment and Multichannel Commissioner, added: "We're delighted to have David Blunkett's involvement and support. His experience and understanding in this area will be invaluable to a fascinating social experiment tackling an issue that couldn't be more relevant."
Shine North hopes the series will deal “head-on the sensitive issue of juvenile behaviour and rehabilitation.”
Banged Up will air later this year, will be executive produced for Shine North by Robin Ashbrook and produced by Andrew Nicholson.
(DS)