Banged Up Abroad


Banged Up Abroad is a British documentary/docudrama television series created by Bart Layton that was produced for Channel 5 and that premiered in March 2006. Most episodes feature stories of people who have been arrested while travelling abroad, usually for trying to smuggle illegal drugs, although some episodes feature people who were either kidnapped or captured while they were either travelling or living in other countries. Some episodes have featured real-life stories that first became well known when they were made the subject of a film: films that have been "re-made" in this way include Midnight Express, Goodfellas, The Devil's Double, Argo, Mr Nice, and, to a lesser extent, Casino.
Since 2006 there have been a total of 13 regular series plus a special series called 'Kidnapped Abroad'. The thirteenth series began airing in January 2020.

Episode format

The episodes typically contain a mixture of interviews with the real people and actors reconstructing the events. The convicted or captured are shown talking about their experiences, combined with dramatic reenactments of their respective experiences. The episodes focus on the events leading up to the arrest or time in captivity.
In a few of the cases, at the end of the episode, the convicted are shown sitting with handcuffs on if they are still in jail. In most cases, the convicted or captured have returned home. In some episodes, the convicted or captured are shown revisiting the region in which the incident occurred.

Episodes

Series 1 (2006)

;Episode 1: Costa Rica/Mexico
;Episode 2: Thailand
;Episode 3: Australia
;Episode 4: Venezuela/Margarita Island

Series 2 (2007)

;Episode 1: Venezuela
;Episode 2: Peru
;Episode 3: Nepal
;Episode 4: Colombia

Series 3 (2008)

;Episode 1: Kuwait
;Episode 2: Peru/Lima
;Episode 3: Bangladesh
;Episode 4: Pakistan
;Episode 5: Peru/Cuzco
;Episode 6: Taiwan
;Episode 7: Ecuador
;Episode 8: South Korea

"Series 4 - Kidnapped" (2009)

In 2008, five additional episodes were produced, each one about a kidnapping, under the alternate title "Kidnapped Abroad."
;Episode 1: Uganda/Death in the Jungle
;Episode 2: Chechnya/Nightmare in Chechnya
;Episode 3: India/Hostage to Terror
;Episode 4: Philippines: Fatal Mission/Kidnapped by Terrorists
;Episode 5: Malaysia/Nightmare Vacation

Series 5 (2010)

;Episode 1: Caracas/Venezuela Blues
;Episode 2: Philippines/Terror Island/Kidnapped in the Philippines
;Episode 3: Puerto Vallarta/Mexican Justice
;Episode 4: Brazil/Brazil's Worst Prison/Busted in Brazil
;Episode 5: Indonesia/Escape from Hell/Busted In Bali
;Episode 6: Mexico/Boy From The Ghetto/Busted in Mexico
;Episode 7: Cuba/What's in The Bag
;Episode 8: Iraq/Kidnapped In Iraq
;Episode 9: Barbados/Busted and Pregnant
;Episode 10: Ecuador/Master of Deception/Betrayed in Ecuador
;Episode 11: Sierra Leone/Jungle Siege
;Episode 12: Jamaica/Jamaican Getaway
;Episode 13: India/Delhi/Party Girl

Series 6 (2011)

;Episode 1: Istanbul/The Real Midnight Express
;Episode 2: Iraq/Human Shields In Iraq
;Episode 3: Tokyo/Tokyo Takedown
;Episode 4: Bangkok/Bangkok Underworld
;Episode 5: Spain/Sold My Soul
;Episode 6: Panama/Colombia Ambush

Series 7 (2012)

;Episode 1: USA/The Real Goodfella
;Episode 2: Saudi Arabia/Saudi Bootlegger
;Episode 3: Philippines/Prisoner Of Love
;Episode 4: Mexico/Funny Money
;Episode 5: Mauritius /Heroin Sting
;Episode 6: Spain/Daredevil Drug Runner
;Episode 7: Argentina/The Cocaine Trap
;Episode 8: Peru/Drug Dealer Revenge
;Episode 9: Colombia/Teenage Drug Smuggler
;Episode 10: Thailand/Backstabbed In Thailand

Series 8 (2013)

;Episode 1: Peru/Cocaine Mule Mom
;Episode 2: Argentina/Escape From Argentina
;Episode 3: Saudi Arabia/Dangerous Liaison
;Episode 4: Guyana/Guadeloupe/Caribbean Nightmare
;Episode 5: Japan/The Juggler Smuggler
;Episode 6: Pakistan/From Hollywood To Hell
;Episode 7: Mexico/Black Palace Of Horrors
;Episode 8: Colombia/Colombian Kidnap
;Episode 9: Brazil/Hasidic King Of Coke
;Episode 10: Nicaragua/I Am Not A Terrorist
;Episode 11: China/My Dad The Smuggler
;Episode 12: Iraq/Son Of Saddam
;Episode 13: Chile/Chilean Prison Break
;Episode 14: Panama/The Orchid Hunters
;Episode 15: Venezuela/Venezuela Hustle
;Episode 16: Iraq/Highway to Hell
;Episode 17: Egypt/Not Without My Baby
;Episode 18: Somalia/Nightmare in Somalia
;Episode 19: Thailand/Busted in Bangkok
;Episode 20: Soviet Union/Escape from the Gulag

Series 9 (2014)

;Episode 1: Vietnam/POWs McCain & Brace
;Episode 2: Belize/Snakes on a Plane
;Episode 3: USA/Raving Arizona
;Episode 4: Iraq/Buried Alive
;Episode 5: Iran/The Real Argo
;Episode 6: Mexico/Mexican Prison Escape
;Episode 7: Peru/Hippie Mafia
;Episode 8: USA/Vegas Mobster
;Episode 9: Fast, Furious and Busted
;Episode 10: USA/Hunting Mr. Nice

Series 10 (2015)

Episode 1: Mexico/Plane Crash Marijuana
Episode 2: Bangkok/Thai Prison Hell
Episode 3: Colombia/Bogota Belly Bust
Episode 4: Somalia/Somali Pirate Hostage Hell
Episode 5: Philippines/Jungle Terror
Episode 6: Libya/Gadaffi's American Prisoner

Series 11 (2018)

Episode 1: Ecuador/Breaking Bad in Britain
Episode 2: Syria/Escape from Al Qaeda
Episode 3: Bolivia/Narco at Nineteen
Episode 4: Sudan/Double Crossed in the Desert
Episode 5: Mexico/Mexican Border Bust
Episode 6: Colombia/Bad Bromance

Series 12 (2019)

Episode 1: Thailand/Thai Meth Bust
Episode 2: Greece/Greek Border Bust
Episode 3: Dominican Republic/Caribbean Coke King
Episode 4: Mexico/Mexican Cartel Hell
Episode 5: Argentina/Narco Wine Bust
Episode 6: Thailand/Bangkok Betrayal
Episode 7: Colombia/Jungle Crash
Episode 8: Panama/Panamania
Episode 9: India/Indian Hash Bust
Episode 10: Peru/Peruvian Parent Trap

Series 13 (2020)

Episode 1: Undercover Biker

International airings