Waiting for the Out is six-part BBC TV series based on Andy West’s book The Life Inside. Earlier this year we were lucky enough to invite Andy and Josh Finan – the actor who plays him in the series – into our HMP Brixton studio.
312,000 children are affected by parental imprisonment each year, and 65% of sons of prisoners end up in the criminal justice system.
Waiting for the Out is a six-part TV series based on Andy West’s book The Life Inside, where he writes about his experiences teaching philosophy in prison while coming to terms with his own family’s history of imprisonment.
Last week, the nation tuned in to the final episode. And last month, we invited Andy West and Josh Finan – the actor who plays him in the BBC adaptation – into our HMP Brixton studio to record a very special interview for National Prison Radio.
Andy and Josh were interviewed by our prisoner-producers and this special programme went out on National Prison Radio on Tuesday 17 February at 5pm and 10pm, reaching more than 80,000 prisoners across England and Wales.
Andy spoke to listeners about intergenerational imprisonment and the impact this has had on him:
He also spoke about losing someone to prison:
Josh Finan, who plays Andy in the BBC drama, spoke about what he learnt from the role:
Through special interviews like this on National Prison Radio, we aim to normalise conversations around prison experience and the impact of loved ones being in prison – encouraging people across the prison estate to open up, access support, reconnect with others, and start building brighter futures beyond bars.
When guests like Andy and Josh visit it also gives our producers a chance to learn how to design interviews that are entertaining, ask the questions everyone wants to hear, and open up conversations that get listeners thinking about rehabilitation.
National Prison Radio is only accessible in prison cells across England and Wales, so you can’t listen to this broadcast. But you canlisten to a special episode of our podcast The Secret Life of Prisons, where we interviewed Andy again, alongside Ric Renton, one of the classroom stars of the show.
Our podcasts aim to shine an honest light on prison life – the challenges, the realities, and the talent and potential that exists behind bars. For our full range, click here.
Thank you so much Andy and Josh for taking the time to visit us, and speak to our audience of 80,000+ serving prisoners across England and Wales. To watch Waiting for the Out head to BBC iPlayer.
