The decommissioned HMP Shrewsbury, which has already been used in several TV productions, will provide the backdrop for a new reality show, HMP (w/t), in which celebrities are incarcerated with a variety of real ex-criminals. 
 

Shrewsbury Prison has been used in several TV dramas, including Coronation Street, Brassic, The Ipcress Files and Time, the biggest production to date that the building has hosted, which shot for eight weeks at the site. 
 

In HMP (w/t), Eastenders actor Sid Owen, comedian and actor Tom Rosenthal, Gogglebox star Marcus Luther, singer HRVY, Mail on Sunday columnist Peter Hitchens and former MP Neil Parish will be locked up as prisoners for eight days, in the disused prison building, to investigate what life is really like behind bars.
 

The six celeb inmates will be ‘jailed’ with a variety of real ex-criminals, including those who have served long sentences for serious crimes – although all are now reformed and have agreed to re-enter prison for this series. 
 

Run by a former prison governor, with 20 years’ experience in some of the UK’s toughest prisons, and former prison officers, the inmates will live by current UK prison rules. 
 

The four-part constructed documentary series is produced by Shine with executive producers Tim Whitwell and Tom Clarke and series producer Emma Young. Whitwell said: “For the first time, we have rigged a prison to find out what really happens in the cells after bang up. This series aims to enthral and entertain, whilst kickstarting a national debate about crime and punishment.”
 

Channel head of documentaries Alisa Pomeroy said: “This is the sort of television that Shine makes so brilliantly for C4, in the vein of precursors The Island and Hunted. Once again, they’ve constructed an immersive documentary precinct where real stories play out.

“We’ve always wanted to rig a prison with cameras at C4, and this series comes as close as possible, allowing us to explore some of the big questions about the UK prison system and whether it works.”

Time image via BBC.