Smuggled
GenreReality television
Country of originUnited Kingdom
No. of episodes2
Production
Executive producerEd Kellie
ProducerDavid Modell
Production companyScreenDog
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release4 November (2019-11-04) –
11 November 2019 (2019-11-11)

Smuggled is a British reality television documentary miniseries shown on Channel 4.[1][2]

The documentary follows eight British nationals as they attempt to smuggle themselves into Britain, testing the border security. The producer, David Modell, called the UK's border security an "illusion".[3]

The show was originally scheduled to begin airing on 28 October 2019, but was postponed by a week to 4 November after 39 people were found dead in a refrigerated lorry in Essex.[4] The victims, all Vietnamese, had been illegally smuggled into the UK. The Home Office criticised Channel 4 for being 'insensitive and irresponsible' to show it too soon.[1] Alice Jones of the i newspaper was also critical of the brief postponement, claiming that it was put off "only by seven days, because we’ll all be able to see the fun side of trafficking by then, presumably."[5]

Reception

Gerard O'Donovan of The Daily Telegraph rated the show three stars out of five, saying "The central idea – smuggling British people back into Britain – was flawed to say the least and left the programme devoid of the threat and motivation that makes real illegal immigrants risk everything to get into Britain."[6] Kasia Delgado from the i allotted the documentary one star out of five; considering it a "trite, simplistic look at a problem which deserved more nuance and respect".[7]

In The Guardian, Mark Lawson was more positive, writing that "Tense and revelatory, the show hid important reportage beneath its flashy chassis."[8]

References

  1. 1 2 Quinn, Ben (2 November 2019). "Channel 4's Smuggled criticised as insensitive in wake of lorry deaths". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  2. ↑ "Smuggled: New show will see people attempt to smuggle themselves into the UK". TellyMix. 4 November 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "Smuggled producer: UK border security is an illusion". Evening Express. 5 November 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2019.
  4. ↑ Pearce, Tilly (23 October 2019). "Channel 4 postpones reality show Smuggled after 39 bodies found in Essex lorry". Metro. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  5. ↑ Jones, Alice (25 October 2019). "Channel 4's shocking programmes are getting bums on seats, but nothing more". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  6. ↑ O'Donovan, Gerard (4 November 2019). "Smuggled, episode 1 review: a flawed experiment, but surely this is a wake-up call to Britain's porous borders?". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  7. ↑ Delgado, Kasia (4 November 2019). "Smuggled, Channel 4, review: this border security reality show is in bad taste and staggeringly boring". i. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
  8. ↑ Lawson, Mark (5 November 2019). "Smuggled: the reality show isn't 'irresponsible'. It's a wake-up call". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
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