Netflix's Narcos gets real-life version on Channel 4
Netflix has transfixed millions around the world with its gritty portrayal of the 1980s' War on Drugs in Narcos. Now, Channel 4 will take you to the frontlines of the drug war for real.
Three-part series The Real Life Narcos will follow SAS: Who Dares Wins star (and former Special Forces soldier) Jason Fox as he travels into the heart of Cartel territory in Mexico, Peru and Colombia.
Jason spent many years trying to bring down powerful figures in the Cartel during his active duty, but now he'll take a different approach in trying to understand what motivates Narcos to take part in such an illicit and illegal trade.
"Trying to understand the motivations and inner workings of the people inside the cartels was always something I was fascinated with when fighting against them," he said today (November 15).
"Meeting the Narcos, unarmed, on their own turf was an incredible and sometimes terrifying experience – it opened my eyes even further to the power they hold and to some of the social and economic pressures which are constantly at play behind them."
Not only will Jason Fox examine the power of the Cartel from a global perspective, but he'll also come face-to-face with some of the infamous Narcos he once tried to take down.
"What makes this series unique is that it is told from an insider's perspective," Channel 4's Alf Lawrie promised.
"Jason's first-hand knowledge of this world – as a participant in the war on drugs - sets this series apart, and gives his journey an extraordinary authenticity."
The show's commission comes at a tense time for fans of Netflix's Narcos, since star Pedro Pascal has said the future of the drama is in doubt after an employee was shot dead in Mexico in September.
Two other factual programmes have been commissioned by Channel 4. The Wedding Shop will bring viewers inside designer Ian Stuart's boutique to find the perfect wedding dresses, while the one-hour special A Year To Fall In Love follows a diverse group of singles looking for their soulmate.
Once A Year To Fall In Love airs on Channel 4, it will spin off into an All4 show providing updates on all of the singles over a one-year period. Lastly, Channel 4 has also ordered a second series of David Mitchell and Robert Webb's sitcom Back.
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