The Secret Life of Prisons

Prison Radio Podcasts

The Secret Life of Prisons is produced by a charity, the Prison Radio Association. To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. The podcast tells the hidden stories from behind bars. Paula Harriott is Chief Executive of Unlock. She spent time in prison and now works to help those who have been to prison to contribute to the debate around crime and justice. Phil Maguire is the Chief Executive of the Prison Radio Association. He's worked in prisons for two decades and received an OBE for services to radio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. FEB 2

    Live at Clinks Conference 2026 | Lord James Timpson and Anne Fox

    As the Sentencing Act 2026 receives royal assent, Phil and Paula take to the stage at Conway Hall in London as part of the Clinks annual conference 2026. Lord James Timpson was Chief Executive of Timpsons, where he pioneered the employment, at scale, of people who have been through the criminal justice system. He was Chair of the Prison Reform Trust before joining government in 2024 as Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending. Anne Fox is the outgoing Chief Executive of Clinks, the charity that represents voluntary sector organisations working in the criminal justice system. Presenters: Phil Maguire  Paula Harriott  Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release. To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate.  To contact the show, please email podcasts@prison.radio. Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    47 min

  2. 12/29/2025

    Waiting For The Out | Andy West and Ric Renton

    Andy West teaches philosophy in prisons. His father and brother spent time behind bars and he wrote a memoir, The Life Inside, about his career in prisons which we featured in an episode back in May 2025. That book has now been adapted for a BBC1 series, Waiting For The Out, which starts in the new year. Ric Renton spent time in three prisons in the north-east of England, including HMP Durham. He is now a writer and actor and was part of the writers room for Waiting For The Out, as well as playing a character in the drama. You can catch Waiting For The Out on BBC iPlayer here. Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release. To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate.  To contact the show, please email podcasts@prison.radio. Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    32 min

  3. 12/22/2025

    Christmas Special: Louis Theroux Live at the Radio Festival

    Every year the radio industry gathers for the Radio Festival in London. The event, run by a wonderful organisation called the Radio Academy, brings together radio professionals from across the country to see the finest broadcasting talent talking about what's happening at the cutting edge of our industry. This year's event was entitled World Of Sound, showcasing the UK as a global leader. Phil was privileged to be asked to host a session, and as a special Christmas offering we can now bring that talk to you: Phil Maguire in conversation with none other than Louis Theroux, himself no stranger to producing award-winning media in prisons. Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release. To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate.  To contact the show, please email podcasts@prison.radio. Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    33 min

  4. 12/19/2025

    Phil's mic drop

    In 2006, Phil Maguire OBE left his job at the BBC to work in prisons. He joined a small group of committed, inspirational people to found a charity, the Prison Radio Association, which went on to transform how we communicate in prisons and set up the world's first national radio station for people in prison. Phil is Chief Executive of the charity. Today, Phil has some news which he wants to share with each and every listener to The Secret Life of Prisons. Phil's Instagram Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release. To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate.  To contact the show, please email podcasts@prison.radio. Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    46 min

  5. 12/15/2025

    How the press reports crime | Beatrice Auty and Charlie Moloney

    Beatrice Auty was released from prison last year and has since become a Longford Scholar, pursuing her academic interest in criminology. Before prison, Beatrice visited death row in the US and dreamt of becoming a human rights lawyer. Beatrice's case and trial attracted a good deal of media attention, and since release Beatrice has appeared in the media to talk about her experiences in prison. Charlie Moloney is a media law commentator and trainer who has recently been named the new editor of McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists – the standard text that accredited journalists follow in their training. He is a veteran of reporting on court proceedings. Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release. To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate.  To contact the show, please email podcasts@prison.radio. Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    40 min

  6. 12/08/2025

    A gold award-winning episode of The Secret Life of Prisons

    The Audio Production Awards take place every year to honour the very best in radio and podcast production in the UK. They're run by Audio UK, which represents audio producers, and are competed for by the very best in the production and broadcast industries. And this year, The Secret Life of Prisons won GOLD in the Sport category for our episode about the HMP Brixton Half Marathon! So this week we wanted to give you another opportunity to hear that award-winning episode. Enjoy...! -- Two days before the 2025 London Marathon, a very special half marathon took place behind the walls of HMP Brixton in aid of the Prison Reform Trust. And The Secret Life of Prisons was granted exclusive access to bring you the sounds of a momentous morning. Nine of HMP Brixton's residents undertook a 16-week training programme, supported by members of the local running community, and on Friday 25 April they ran alongside around 40 visitors in a feat of endurance and stamina. The result was a beautiful example of the power of sport to change lives. The voices you will hear in this podcast include: Tara Benedetti Pia Sinha Mia Wheeler Sean Fletcher Marianne Garvey Jamie Loyn Sarah Taylor Abbey Darling Alan Higgins Hermen Dange Martin Jones Dr. Dave Maguire Eleanor Carmichael Adam Harris Andrew Wilkie Faye Dunn Our thanks to the staff at HMP Brixton, particularly Governor Wheeler, Deputy Governor Merrifield their physical education team, and also the team at the Prison Reform Trust led by Pia Sinha and Tara Benedetti for making this event, and this podcast, possible. Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release. To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate.  Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 1m

  7. 12/01/2025

    *The Big Give 2025* | Faye Dunn and Toni Garrigos

    If you would like to support the Prison Radio Association, visit prison.radio/biggive and your donation will be doubled! Faye Dunn and Toni Garrigos first met each other while serving sentences in HMP Styal. Faye is now the Assistant Producer of this podcast, while Toni is employed in sales. Check out their story. Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release. To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate.  To contact the show, please email podcasts@prison.radio. Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    37 min

  8. 11/24/2025

    Inside a Drug Recovery Wing | Wayne Hickman and Ash

    Drug Recovery Wings are specialist units in prisons that work to help people dealing with addictions as part of their prison sentences. Ash is no stranger to imprisonment and has lived with addiction since he was a child. But a remarkable encounter transformed his life. He now works for Better Way Recovery, a charity based in Litchfield near Birmingham, as an Integrated Offender Manager Link Worker - and as part of his role he works with people battling addiction inside HMP Featherstone in Staffordshire. Wayne Hickman is a substance misuse officer who runs the Drug Recovery Wing in HMP Featherstone, and through his passion for change and genuine compassion for those living on the wing he runs, the unit at Featherstone has been nationally recognised as the best in the country. Presenters: Phil Maguire – Chief Executive, Prison Radio Association Paula Harriott – Chief Executive, Unlock Producer: Andrew Wilkie Assistant Producer: Faye Dunn The Prison Radio Association is a charity that runs National Prison Radio, the world’s first national radio station for people serving prison sentences. We employ people in prison to develop their skills, find their best voices and help them discover ways to lead crime-free lives after release. To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate.  To contact the show, please email podcasts@prison.radio. Registered Charity in England & Wales 1114760 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 min
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The Secret Life of Prisons is produced by a charity, the Prison Radio Association. To make a donation please visit prison.radio/donate. The podcast tells the hidden stories from behind bars. Paula Harriott is Chief Executive of Unlock. She spent time in prison and now works to help those who have been to prison to contribute to the debate around crime and justice. Phil Maguire is the Chief Executive of the Prison Radio Association. He's worked in prisons for two decades and received an OBE for services to radio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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