Jamie Interview for Hunted S3

29 December 2017

Why did you take part in Hunted?

You would think this would be a simple question to answer and I know everyone will have had their own motivations.  For me personally, the idea of appearing on Hunted was never fuelled by the potential of winning any money. In fact, I would have still put myself on the same journey if there had been no prize fund. It was also not about proving anything to myself personally as I had proven myself countless times in my previous career. What was most important to me was having the opportunity of taking part in a show that I was already a huge fan of. Then being able to use that experience to be able to demonstrate to my son's first hand, that life isn't always going to be easy, that it's about facing problems and challenges, and it's about having confidence in yourself and your decisions. I'm hoping that in years to come when our boys watch the show, those lessons will be there for them to see.

What special skills or attributes made you think you'd succeed in this?

From the start of the Hunted process, I was aware that due to my previous career, as former police firearms officer, people would assume that I would have a number of skills that would assist me and these did come in very helpful. I always stressed throughout my time on the run, that luck would be one of the most important aspects to the journey for any of us, despite our backgrounds. Certainly, though, my career and business experience left me feeling far more confident about going on the run. Remaining calm in the face of stress and pressure is probably my greatest strength which helped me more than anything else.

What did you think the experience would be like making the programme and how did the reality match up to your expectations?

In truth, I really went along with the whole process and didn't allow myself to think too much about what the experience would be like. The format of the show, working away from home in difficult and stressful scenarios are all very familiar to me and actually being away on the run, felt very work like to me. One of the biggest reality points that I took away from my journey, was just how real the experience was. From the pain, emotions, the discomfort and the stress of my journey to the real off-screen investigations that the Hunters conduct, everything really is what you see on the Television. The show runs like a huge machine which was awesome to be a part of.

Did you pick up any tips from having watched the first two series?

I certainly loved watching the previous two series but I didn't pick up any useful tips that I didn't already know.

Did you go into it with loads of detailed plans or did you just go where fate took you?

I imagine some of the fugitives made lots of plans for their time on the run, but I really wanted to experience things as realistically as possible and so from the second I started running away from that first helicopter, I broke each day down into hours and minutes. My first plan was I needed to be away from the Inner City, then I needed to be outside of the conurbation and away from people, then I needed to find my bearings and head south whilst avoiding people as much as possible. There was a few fate led days for sure, when walking for miles and miles led me back to the same position for example. You live and learn though!

What was the toughest aspect of the whole experience?

This is a hard one to answer. I think every fugitive will have experienced a different journey with different problems. In hindsight, during my time on the run, I likely made things a lot more difficult for myself than I needed to. I really tried to push the physical limits and that was really hampered by the state of my feet. I experienced huge blisters that I carried throughout the entire Journey and this made every footstep I took, terribly painful. I also suffered from regular dehydration as I was staying away from shops and people where ever I could, resulting in me using a survival straw to meet my fluid needs from rivers, puddles, even horse drinking buckets! On top of that, I experienced a bout of sickness which resulted in hospital treatment. By the end of the show, I had averaged a marathon a day on some days and I had lost 13 pounds in bodyweight. I also experienced a huge emotional rollercoaster when dealing with thoughts of my family although I’ll leave that for the show!

Did you find yourself getting paranoid?

No, paranoia was never a concern. I maintained a healthy respect for the Hunters throughout my journey but also acknowledged that they had a huge job on their hands, and I felt confident that I had at least an idea of what they would be doing on most days.

Did you form bonds with people when you were away? Did you meet people who were a really big help to you?

I can't emphasise how helpful strangers can be and what a positive difference they can make to your time on the run. On the few occasions I reached out to people, I received such tremendous support in the way of transport, accommodation, food and medical treatment. It was amazing and to them, I will be forever thankful. As for forming long-term bonds with anyone, I would have to say my cameraman will be a friend for life. We quite literally shared every moment of the journey, the miles walked, the adrenalin, the random and remote places slept, the laughs and the tears wept. It was a great experience to be able to share on camera. The team working behind the scenes also deserve a mention and I really cherish the friendships that I have developed.

Were there any particular high or low points in the whole thing for you?

As I've already mentioned I walked a long way whilst dealing with painful feet. It really did take a lot to keep pushing through that pain. The dehydration, hunger and sickness also combined to probably represent the lowest points. The high point for sure was related to my wife and family, but I’ll leave that for the show as well.

What would you say you learned from this experience?

On a personal level, I learnt that staying true to yourself and believing in your abilities is so important. I knew that I was capable and calm headed and it was a great opportunity to show myself that I am still that person. I learnt also that there is genuine kindness in everyone and that it comes to the surface at the most unexpected of times. Finally, I learnt that Hunted is so much more than what viewers see on the TV. So much amazing stuff goes on behind the scenes to bring the show to life and to the screen. Having served as a specialist Police Officer for many, many years, I can assure you from first-hand experience that the Hunted team have put together something that is as close to the real thing as is possible, and I would urge everyone who genuinely wants to challenge themselves to give it a shot. If you do, the greatest of luck to you.

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