Flicker Productions to produce five-part docu-reality series following women who have fallen for men in prison and have become TikTok sensations, with brands and followers hanging on their every move.
FOX Entertainment Global will handle U.S. and international distribution
UKTV has commissioned brand-new docu-reality Prison Wives of TikTok (5x60’) on U&W. This U&Original series is produced by Flicker Productions and will air on free streaming service U, and U&W in 2026, and U.S. and international distribution is being handled by FOX Entertainment Global.
This revealing new series follows five British women who have fallen for men currently behind bars, four of whom are incarcerated in the USA. Their unconventional love stories captured attention on TikTok, where they shared the highs, lows and complexities of their relationships, which has become a controversial point of discussion on the platform.
And it seems almost everyone has an opinion on love behind bars, a search of #prisonwife reveals hundreds of thousands of posts on the topic, with a huge amount of engagement, both positive and negative. As a result, these women have gained thousands of followers and some have capitalised to become social media influencers, making money and securing brand partnerships by documenting the reality of life as a prison wife. Beyond the online attention, these women have also built a powerful community both on and offline. What began as shared experiences on TikTok has evolved into genuine friendships, with the women supporting each other through setbacks and celebrations, and even embarking on Stateside road trips to visit their partners. This series will follow the women navigating the challenges of their relationships whilst sharing every step of their journey on TikTok. Have they truly found love, or will it all come crashing down?
Prison Wives of TikTok has been commissioned for UKTV by Kirsty Hanson, Senior Commissioning Editor, with Helen Nightingale, Head of Factual and Factual Entertainment Commissioning, ordered by Hilary Rosen, Director, Commissioning. Colleen Flynn and Kate South are Executive Producers for Flicker Productions (part of STV Studios), and Ellie Merz is Series Director.
Kirsty Hanson said, “Prison Wives of TikTok shines a light on a jaw dropping subculture. There have been women that have corresponded with prisoners for decades, but for these women to turn this into a revenue stream with brand partnerships and millions of followers, is a fascinating modern twist. High stakes and high drama are the stuff of their every day; marrying, moving continents and what happens after their release make for a ‘can’t look away’ heightened reality-doc series that I’m hugely excited about bringing to U.”
Colleen Flynn from Flicker Productions said, “Through social media these women have shown audiences a glimpse of their lives, but we wanted to go further to really understand why these women chose to sacrifice so much for love, and that can only be done with traditional documentary storytelling. This is a remarkable cast of women who smash the stereotype”
Liz Tang, Vice President of Content and Acquisitions, FOX Entertainment Global said, “Prison Wives of TikTok sits at the intersection of two endlessly fascinating worlds: unconventional romance and social media fame. These women have transformed deeply personal relationships into social media brands, attracting passionate supporters and vocal critics alike. The collision of online fame, public scrutiny and high-stakes romance creates a truly compelling viewing experience, while the universal themes of love, loyalty and risk give the format broad international appeal.”
Prison Wives of TikTok is in production now and will be available to stream on U and on air on U&W in 2026 as UKTV continues to commission fresh, insightful and inspiring unscripted content, including the likes of the award-winning Pete Wicks: For Dog’s Sake and Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over.
For more information, please contact:
Lauren Mutimer, Publicist, UKTV – lauren.mutimer@uktv.co.uk
Notes for Editors:
International distribution is being handled by FOX Entertainment Global. Under the terms of Flicker Productions’ collaboration with FOX Entertainment Global, Flicker will be engaged as a producer or co-producer of any future version of the format produced in the US, Australia and New Zealand.
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of British television for over 30 years, with programmes spanning comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, available across its channel portfolio and its free streaming service, U (u.co.uk).
Shows from UKTV’s free‑to‑air channels - U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&W, U&YESTERDAY and U&eden - can be watched free in the UK on U, and via Freeview, Freesat, Freely, Sky and Virgin Media, with on‑demand access to thousands of hours of original commissions, acquisitions and archive titles. UKTV also operates dedicated FAST channels in the UK on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Prime, Pluto TV and Virgin Media.
UKTV’s pay TV brands - U&GOLD and U&alibi - are available in the UK via Sky, Virgin Media and NOW. In Ireland, UKTV's channels are available via Sky, Virgin Media, Eir, Vodafone and NOW.
UKTV is a significant investor in British creativity, commissioning original content and working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers across genres.
UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK’s most-awarded production company and commercial subsidiary of the BBC.
About U
U is UKTV’s free streaming service in the UK, offering on-demand access to programmes from UKTV’s free-to-air channels: U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&W, U&YESTERDAY and U&eden.
U is available online at and via the U app on mobile devices and tablets, as well as on smart TVs and streaming platforms including Freeview Play, Freely, Amazon Fire TV, YouView, Samsung TV, Apple TV, Freesat, Sky Glass, Sky Stream, NOW and Roku. Thousands of hours of selected U content are also available on Channel 4’s streaming service.
U provides access to over 9,000 hours of programming, including exclusive original commissions, UK premieres and iconic BBC titles across drama, comedy, entertainment and factual entertainment. It was nominated for Best Streaming Service at the 2025 Edinburgh Television Festival Awards.
Programmes available on U include Bergerac, Whitstable Pearl, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Marlow Murder Club, Outrageous, The Bill, Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over, Guy Martin: Proper Jobs, Bangers & Cash, Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake and MasterChef Australia.
U is the streaming home for UKTV’s channel brands and their on-demand catalogue in the UK.
About U&W
Sky 157, Virgin Media 125, Freeview 25, Freesat 28 & Freely 156
U&W’s quality mix of UKTV Originals includes heart‑warming series led by some of the UK’s most loved talent, uplifting frontline shows that shine a light on heroic emergency services, and true crime programming rooted in empathy for the victims at the heart of each story. U&W shows are available to watch free in the UK on UKTV’s streaming service, U (u.co.uk).
Winner of Broadcast Digital Awards’ Entertainment Channel of the Year 2024, U&W is life unfiltered - capturing raw, genuine moments where emotions run high and people reveal their true selves. U&W Originals include award‑winning hits such as Pete Wicks: For Dogs’ Sake, Emma Willis: Delivering Babies, Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over and Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over USA, At Home With Katherine Ryan and Katie Piper’s Jailhouse Mums; powerful frontline series including Inside the Ambulance, Young Midwives of Essex, Nurses on the Ward and 999 Rescue Squad; and gripping true crime titles Back From The Dead: Who Kidnapped Me?, Red Flag and Lies, Deceit & Betrayal.
About FOX Entertainment Global
FOX Entertainment Global is FOX Entertainment’s centralized content sales division, providing the worldwide multi-platform marketplace with exclusive access to its diverse, rapidly expanding production pipeline and library of owned original programming and co-production partnerships. A central component of FOX Entertainment’s long-term growth strategy is to fortify its globally recognized, world-class brand and owned distribution platforms spanning broadcast and streaming with FOX Entertainment Global’s singular focus on broadly distributing the company’s full portfolio of owned intellectual property across all genres of scripted, unscripted and animated programming, including both film and television titles.