Hunted: Series 6 – interview with fugitive Sarah
Category: Press Pack ArticleSarah (Police Officer), 35, Norfolk
Police Officer Sarah is determined to be the first solo female to beat the hunters. When you spend every day chasing criminals, you know how the best ones operate and you also know how the hunters hunt. Why not beat them at their own game and win a share of £100,000?
Prior to joining the police, Sarah served in the military police for 8 years which took her on two tours of Iraq. She’s used to surviving and operating in some of the world’s harshest environments and thrives under intense pressure but now, having left the military to start a family, life seems to be a little bit like Groundhog Day.
Sarah adores her two children Tyler (10) and Isaac (3) and husband Daniel but life ferrying her children to football, after school clubs and doing housework isn’t as exciting as it once was, and Sarah wants to go on the run to prove to herself that she’s still got it. She wants to use all the skills she learnt in the forces, in the police and as a mother to her advantage while she’s on the run.
While on the run, she plans to use her friendly and approachable side to get members of the public to help her, her extensive military network across the UK to provide support whenever she’s in need and her meticulous planning skills to seamlessly carry her through the 23 days. The biggest challenge by far will be leaving Tyler and Isaac behind so Sarah is comparing her time on the run to being a penguin- she will go off and get the goods whilst the kids stay at home with Dad!
After leaving the army, Sarah had to work extremely hard to adjust to Civvy Street, which was harder than expected. Winning the money would give the family financial security, as well as helping her rediscover her identity outside being a Mum.
Why did you want to take part in Hunted?
Sarah: It was really because of my ten-year-old son encouraging me to take part. I've watched all the series and loved the programme always thought it would be amazing to do, but it was when my ten-year-old watched a couple of episodes and said to me, “Mum, you'd be great at this. You should apply…” When I saw applications, right? And I thought, Yeah, why not? Let's do it, let's do it. And I did.
Why did you want to go it alone?
I'm kind of regretting that now! I'm the only soloist, so it is a little bit daunting seeing everyone together in their pairs, chatting already and, and going through an experience with someone who they care deeply for. I imagine that’d be quite nice. But for me, it was more about testing myself. I've got a lot of ex-military experience through my life, but for the last ten years I'd say I've predominantly been mum, so I want to see if I'm still that machine, that soldier that I was 10/11 years ago now.
What tactics, if any, are you planning to employ?
I just plan on moving very quickly, never getting too comfortable using the help of the lovely general public. Hopefully I'll be approachable and friendly in nature like I normally am, and they'll be willing to help me and then just use my knowledge within the place to try and not mess up to give anything away to the hunters.
Are there things you’ve seen in previous Hunted series’ that you’d like to adopt – or avoid?
Don't make any silly mistakes. Just, I suppose try and remain completely focussed. There's going to be, you know, incidents of intense pressure and Adrenaline's going to be pumping and I just need to take a step back, keep my cool and keep focussed.
How confident are you in your abilities? Do you think you have what it takes to make it to the end?
I think it's in there, in there somewhere and it needs to come to the forefront most definitely. As I said before, I have a lot of experience and a lot of training that would help me throughout this process. It is just making sure I stick by it and the other side of me don't come out. The ditzy, no common sense part of me doesn't come out. I need to keep that person back.
What do you think the experience of being on the run will be like?
When I think about it, in one way I think it's exciting. Just to be completely isolated from the world just for a short time – no stress, no pressures of normal life – sounds quite lovely. But then, I am away from my boys. I've got no way to communicate with them. I can't just hop on a train and go back and meet them and spend a lovely weekend with them. So it's parts like that that are extremely daunting.
How do you feel about the prospect of having no technology, no money, no backpack and no possessions?
Tiring, exhausting, mentally draining. And it's going to be so challenging for me being away from my two boys so it's going to be extremely challenging in that respect. Anything else I can handle? Bad weather, sleeping rough, you know, lack of food, although I do get very hungry but most of it I can handle. Being away from my boys is the biggest challenge by far.
If you manage to avoid capture, what would you spend your winnings on?
We've just moved house. The house needs a lot of work doing and it has a tiny box room for my youngest bedroom The plan that we had when we bought the house before I knew I was going on the run would be to hopefully get an extension one day when we can afford it. And this is just going to obviously bring that forward and we can get that extension and get my little boy a bigger bedroom to grow to grow with.
How big a factor is the money for you?
When I first applied, knowing that there’s a share of £100k on offer was definitely in the front of my mind. Since I've got onto the show, I genuinely keep forgetting there's a prize at the end of it and I'm speaking from the heart there. I'm just looking forward to the experience, I really am. If I manage to win, it's just a massive amount of money and a massive bonus, but I’m mainly looking forward to the experience.
What life/career experience have you had that you think would give you the edge over the hunters and other fugitives?
In terms of the Hunters, I'm one of them! I was a military police officer and I’m now a civilian police officer, so I should be thinking the same way as they're thinking. But at the same time, that scares me, because I've always been in their shoes! I've never been on the fugitives’ side, so can I think like a criminal? I don't know. I've never tried it. I think they might be eager to capture me more than the others, who knows?