Behind the scenes details reveal the gruelling filming conditions faced by participants (Image: Channel 4)
’s controversial new documentary series Go Back to Where You Came From is set to challenge strong opinions on immigration, but behind-the-scenes details reveal the gruelling filming conditions faced by participants. The show, which debuts in February, aims to push contestants to confront their prejudices through immersive and often harrowing experiences.
A source has exclusively told Express.co.uk that participants were not allowed to leave filming for weeks. “The production company who made the show planned on filming it for four to six weeks last summer,” the insider explained. “The plan was to have a range of people who have been outspoken about immigration, from either social media posts or television shows.”
The source continued: “They had a shortlist of about 25 people that they wanted for the programme. Each person was contacted by email or telephone, and then an interview was arranged. Filming was constant for four weeks minimum, and participants would not be allowed to leave filming at any point—not even for a couple of days.”
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Contestant Jess visited a displaced people’s camp in Somalia (Image: Channel 4)
The six contestants, drawn from diverse backgrounds across the UK, embark on a journey that takes them to some of the most dangerous and poverty-stricken regions in the world. Channel 4 describes the series as “an unflinching look at the truth of immigration, across the debate,” promising to “confront, educate, anger, shock and tug at the heartstrings of liberals, the right wing and everyone in-between.”
In the first episodes, the cast visits Mogadishu in Somalia and Raqqa in Syria—two cities notorious for their dangers. Participants face the reality of nearby missile strikes, overcrowded refugee camps, and the devastation of extreme poverty.
The series doesn’t stop there. Later episodes follow the group as they retrace migrant routes through Africa, the Middle East, and Europe into the UK, forcing them to trek deserts, scale border fences, and confront the terror of small boat crossings.
The six participants of Go Back to Where You Came From come from diverse backgrounds, each bringing unique perspectives to the debate on immigration.
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The show features people with anti-immigration views following in the footsteps of refugees (Image: Channel 4)
Contestants include Dave, 35, a star and single dad from Nottingham, sociopolitical commentator and small business owner Bushra, 41, from Surrey and Chloe, 24, a GB News political commentator with a degree from Oxford.
The documentary has already sparked controversy, with some of the cast’s strong and provocative views drawing criticism even before the show’s release. Charities, including Amnesty International, have voiced their concerns, accusing the programme of providing a platform for racist opinions.
Joint executive producer Emma Young also addressed the backlash, responding to claims that the show amplifies racism and extreme views. She explained: “But these voices that you hear within the series are the voices we were hearing up and down the country as we were casting, and they are a vocal voice that is shaping our political landscape.”