Katie Piper sets out to investigate pregnant mothers in US prisons for a new documentary

Katie Piper heads to the US to film a new documentary for the W channel, where she will investigate women who are pregnant while in prison.

The 39-year-old television personality will visit women who are juggling pregnancy while serving their sentence, as they face harrowing decisions about the fate of their children.

Dubbed Katie Piper: Babies Behind Bars, the series will run for five episodes and begin filming next month for a late 2023 release.

The author and Loose Women panelist will take a deep dive into the United States judicial system for the new series.

Already volunteering in UK prisons, Katie is intrigued to see how different things will be across the pond in some of the most talked about prisons.

She explained: ‘I am delighted to be working with W Channel in 2023. I have always had a keen interest in real life documentary formats and Piper Behind Bars is already proving to be a fascinating project.

‘As a long-time volunteer in UK women’s prisons, I am intrigued by the different treatment within the US system.

Mothers in Prison: The author and Loose Women panelist will take a deep dive into the US judicial system for the new series about mothers in prison (pictured with her daughter Penelope, now 5)

Mother: Katie has two children with her husband Richard James Sutton; Eight-year-old Belle Elizabeth and Penelope, five, and she is intrigued to see how pregnant women are treated behind bars.

“I have no idea what to expect when I’m on the other side of the Atlantic, but that’s the magic of a documentary. I can’t wait to see how this project develops.’

The blonde beauty will speak to women who are not only negotiating a prison sentence, but are also mothers and accepting what that means for their children’s future.

While the series will also look at how women are cared for and treated in prisons during pregnancy.

She explained: ‘I have no idea what to expect when I’m across the Atlantic, but that’s the magic of a documentary. I can’t wait to see how this project unfolds.’

Katie has two children with her husband Richard James Sutton; Belle Elizabeth, eight, and Penelope, five.

The show’s commissioning editor shared: “The complexities of women within the criminal justice system is a topic that desperately needs to be explored further and with Katie at the forefront, we hope to ask a fundamental question about whether someone should have to give light behind bars”. ‘.

And it’s not the first time she’s appeared on screen in a documentary format, appearing in the four-part series Katie: My Beautiful Face in 2009 and Katie: My Beautiful Friends in 2011.

The first series came a year after Katie was the victim of a brutal acid attack, and decided to tell her story through documentary.

While the second followed her progress two years after the attack and also showed how she created her charity, the Katie Piper Foundation.

Following her journey to rebuild her face after the attack, she also appeared on Channel 4’s Katie: The Science of Seeing Again.

Katie Piper: Babies Behind Bars will air on Channel W and UKTV Play in 2023.

Previously: And it’s not the first time she’s appeared on screen in a documentary format, appearing in the four-part series Katie: My Beautiful Face in 2009 and Katie: My Beautiful Friends in 2011