Ross Kemp was forced to cease production of ‘Ross Kemp: 72 Hours In...’ due to a military coup.
Ross Kemp had to pull out of new prison documentary because of political unrest
The ex ‘EastEnders’ star - who played Grant Mitchell in the BBC One soap - was due to head to Ecuador to film his new Channel 5 series about some of the world’s toughest prisons but opted not to carry on with filming over concerns for his safety.
A coup broke out in Ecuador in May this year, and the decision to pull out meant producers needed to pause plans for the series due to a tight schedule, having only shot one episode on Colombia.
Ross' series was first revealed to be “halted” because of “unforeseen” issues on-set but no further information was provided.
A Channel 5 spokesperson told Metro.co.uk: “Filming had begun on the series, but due to unforeseen production challenges, we have made the practical decision to halt filming at the moment.”
The series has been described as the soap star-turned-documentary maker going “behind bars in some of the world’s most high-security, high-risk prisons housing gang leaders, serial killers, violent criminals, drug lords and mass murderers".
Ross - who know hosts the BBC game show ‘The Bridge of Lies’ - recently hinted that the programme will make him go “even further than before”.
He told Holly Willoughby while appearing on ‘This Morning’: “I’ve been to some of the toughest prisons in the UK and all around the world. I thought I’d experienced it all, and taken every adventure, but this time we’re going even further than before,’ he said in a statement announcing the project.
“I’m looking forward to my first documentary series with Channel 5 and taking you all on this journey with me.”
The 59-year-old television personality has reflected on the benefits of a "dark sense of humour" when it comes to being in such challenging and bleak environments.
He told the Sun newspaper: “The great thing is the dark sense of humour that comes with being someone who operates in those kinds of environments.
“We also use trauma risk management, which means sitting down and talking through trauma with your colleagues."
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