Go Back to Where You Came From cast: Meet the individuals taking part
Here's what you need to know.
Go Back to Where You Came From comes to Channel 4 this week, following six individuals as they journey from "two of the most dangerous cities on earth" back to the UK and put their outspoken views on immigration to the test.
Split into two groups of three, the line-ups are sent to Mogadishu in Somalia and Raqqa in Syria, as they travel migrant routes through Africa, the Middle East and Europe into the UK and come face-to-face with the reality of the situation, whether it be mass overcrowding of camps or the threat of nearby missile strikes.
The individuals taking part all have differing views on immigration, but could their opinions change as they experience what life is like for many refugees and migrants?
Read on to learn more about the six people taking part in Channel 4's Go Back to Where You Came From.
Go Back to Where You Came From cast
Here are the people taking part in Channel 4's Go Back to Where You Came From:
- Bushra
- Chloe
- Dave
- Jess
- Nathan
- Mathilda
Bushra
Age: 41
Location: Surrey
Job: Business owner
Self-described as a forthright and opinionated person who loves straightforward conversations, Bushra is a mum-of-three who owns a small business.
"I am the daughter and granddaughter of immigrants, so I wanted to experience what they went through when they came over to the UK," said Bushra.
"I think the closer we can get to the lives of immigrants, the more empathy we can have for them."
Chloe
Age: 24
Location: Cornwall
Job: Political commentator
Originally from Cornwall but now living in London, Chloe is a political commentator who often appears on GB News.
Asked what made her want to take part in the series, Chloe said: "I thought it was a really exciting opportunity to learn more about this issue that is so prominent in politics. I was concerned about the significant number of people, undocumented, coming here.
"Why do they, once they are in a safe country, want to get on a boat to get to another safe country?"
Dave
Age: 35
Location: Nottingham
Job: Content creator
Single dad Dave originally trained as a chef before becoming a full-time TikTok creator after gaining followers over the pandemic.
Describing himself as a lads' lad, Dave grew up in an old mining village and in a household which was anti-illegal immigration.
He admitted that he thought the series was initially "a bit of a scam" before realising it was "pretty much a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the world and understand things".
He added: "It was a chance for me to see the other side of things, to see where these people come from and how they live, so for me it was to learn."
Jess
Age: 33
Location: Wales
Job: Sports coach
Describing herself as the life and soul of the party, Jess lives in a small village in Carmarthenshire and works as a sports coach.
When the hotel next door to her house was nearly converted into accommodation for asylum seekers, Jess became involved in the Stradey Park hotel protests, which lasted fro 100 days and saw the hotel remain as a hotel.
Explaining what made her want to take part, Jess said: "Immigration never really came into my life before until it hit me personally [with the hotel], and then I was interested in it. I thought, yeah, I want to learn."
Nathan
Age: 32
Location: Barnsley
Job: Business owner
Nathan would describe himself as having a strong work ethic and has said he often uses humour as a coping mechanism.
Nathan admitted he was "so blasé about the topic of immigration" and only "cared about the elements of it that affected [him]".
He added: "I run a haulage business, and if an immigrant is found stowing away in one of my lorries, I have to pay a £10,000 fine. A group of 10 could bankrupt me – I could lose my house, my business, everything.
"So I wanted to see a bit more about what immigrants have to go through – when you essentially only live in your own back garden, you don’t always have perspective on how the immigration journey works."
Mathilda
Age: 29
Location: London
Job: Journalist
Mathilda is a journalist and podcaster who specialises in immigration, social affairs and human rights and has first-hand experience of refugee camps after volunteering in Calais and Dunkirk.
Asked why she wanted to take part, Mathilda said: "Ever since I started my career, which began as an aid worker in refugee camps, I’ve felt passionately about the refugee crisis. I see that as my mission.
"Ultimately I went into media because the root of the problem, particularly in the UK, is to do with misinformation and the framing of the migrant crisis in quite an inhumane way. I recognised the show’s potential to address misconceptions."
Go Back to Where You Came From begins on Monday 3rd February at 9pm on Channel 4.
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Authors
Katelyn Mensah is the Senior Entertainment Writer for Radio Times, covering all major entertainment programmes, reality TV shows and the latest hard-hitting documentaries. She previously worked at The Tab, with a focus on reality TV and showbiz news and has obtained a BA (Hons) in Journalism.