I’m a Hunter on Channel 4’s Hunted and this is what it’s really like to chase down fugitives

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Jordan Wylie, a 42-year-old former soldier from Blackpool, is known for being a hunter on the Channel 4 shows Hunted and Celebrity Hunted, where contestants attempt to escape capture by a team of experts. He also supports the Army Cadet Force and is preparing for an expedition to Antarctica in late November.

Here he tells us about his life pre-Hunted and what it’s really like to chase down fugitives…

I started my career at a young age, joining the Army at 16 and serving as a soldier with The King’s Royal Hussars for a decade. This included several deployments to Iraq and Northern Ireland. After leaving the Army, I transitioned to maritime security, working to protect ships from pirates near the coast of Somalia.

It was amazing when they asked me to consult on the movie Captain Phillips with Tom Hanks! I got to share my knowledge of tactics, what pirates actually wear, and how they operate. Then, completely out of the blue, Channel 4 contacted me about being part of Hunted, and I’ve been involved for eight years now. I quickly learned it’s not just about knowing your stuff – you also have to be comfortable on camera and keep the viewers engaged!

Successful hunting requires strong observation skills, self-control, and a lot of patience – you need to stay focused and aware for extended periods. Filming often means spending 16 to 18 hours a day in a car with the same team for six or seven weeks. Sometimes, I’ll spend a full 24 hours observing a single location. Before we start filming, we undergo a week of training to learn about the newest tools of the trade – things like surveillance equipment, hidden microphones, and small, wearable cameras.

The documentary Hunted demonstrates just how hard it is to disappear in England. With constant surveillance through financial transactions, phone calls, and social media activity, we are continually tracked. The show suggests that missing persons are likely not found simply because authorities haven’t dedicated enough resources to the search.

As a huge movie buff, I’ve been thinking about how someone would really try to disappear. The best approach, hands down, is to have absolutely no plan – that’s what makes you unpredictable. Most people, when they run, immediately contact loved ones, and that’s the first place we’d look. I’d head straight for the countryside, where there are fewer cameras. Forget phones, cars, and definitely stay away from big cities. Honestly, people don’t realize just how thorough this show is. If you’re hiding something, we will uncover it.

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2025-10-28 03:39