Outside In is our first ever podcast produced and presented entirely by people who learnt their craft while working at National Prison Radio during their sentence, and it’s back for its second series.
Outside In series two launched on Tuesday 1st July 2025, gifting you seven more opportunities to dip your ears into the world of National Prison Radio.
Together, the team interview big names who have experienced life behind bars, while providing guidance and practical tips to help ease the transition back to life after release, from those who have ‘been there done that’.
National Prison Radio is the world’s first national radio station for people in prison. 89% of people behind bars across England and Wales listen to National Prison Radio, with 51% tuning in every single day. However, you can only listen to the station if you are inside a prison cell.
Outside In bridges that gap by bringing a taste of National Prison Radio to you.
In 2023 we developed our first ever post-release programme for talented prison leavers. This programme allows people who have engaged with our work through their sentences to continue professionally developing alongside our experienced staff team and start working towards a career in radio and production.
Since March 2024 we have offered 322 days of paid production and presenting employment to prison leavers and together they have recorded 256 hours of National Prison Radio and podcast content – and this is available for you to listen to via Outside In.
We launched the podcast in October 2024 and so far, 17 episodes have been released, many of which feature interviews with inspirational people who once spent time in jail. These episodes are available both inside prison via National Prison Radio, and outside prison, on streaming services including Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
Since its launch, our team of Trainee Producers have interviewed high profile guests including musicians Hak Baker and Berwyn, they have travelled to remote recordings with organisations including Dusty Knuckle Bakery, Timpson and XO Bikes and they have collected and shared the stories of inspirational ex-prisoners like Toni, the first female steel fixer in the UK, and CEO and record label boss Tony Supreme.
“Outside In is so inspirational, you get to hear from people who were in here, but are now out there. Prison can send people to some really dark places but the show really helps.” – Outside In listener at HMP Brixton
As well as some really encouraging listener figures from those tuning in from outside of prison, the podcast also received a nomination in November 2024 in the Grassroots Production category at the 2024 Audio Production Awards – an incredible achievement for such a young podcast.
Now the Outside In team are back with a brand new series that continues to shine a spotlight on opportunities that exist beyond the prison gates and provides inspiration, information and entertainment.
Here you can listen to the first episode where we meet the latest Outside In trainees and get to know their journeys into radio – how it all started while they were inside, and what life’s been like since their release.
Future episodes will feature the Inside Out Clothing Project, Synergy Theatre Project, rapper Jords, Trailblazers and rapper Jaja Soze.
Today more than 20% of the Prison Radio Association’s staff team have spent time in prison and we plan to continue building on this figure. We know that radio programmes about prison life are better when they’re made by people who have lived it.
Outside In is available on Spotify, iTunes and wherever you get your podcasts. Follow and subscribe.
National Prison Radio is the world’s first national radio station for people in prison. It’s available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on in-cell TV and reaches over 80,000 people behind bars across England and Wales.
National Prison Radio was founded by the Prison Radio Association – a registered charity. Shows like Outside In and projects like our Talent Development programme not only help people to cope with life inside prison, but they also help to support people onto positive paths post-release.
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