The winner of Hunted 2025 winner has revealed that they still haven’t received the prize money from Channel 4 – and admitted that he got a big shock behind the scenes of the gruelling show.
This year’s eighth series of the popular programme, which first hit the channel in 2015, premiered on October 12 and wrapped up on Monday 3 November.
The show saw seven pairs (fugitives) get dropped off at Stanstead airport and had to make it to the final extraction point without getting caught by a team of hunters for 21 days.
Brother-in-laws Warren, 35, and Shaq, 31, from Brixton, took on the challenge, but after getting split up, only Shaq made it to the final and he ended up bagging the £100,000.
The series was filmed back in June, and unfortunately he still hasn’t got his hands on the prize money five months later.
Speaking exclusively to Daily Mail about what he plans on doing with the whopping prize money, Shaq told us: ‘So at the moment, I haven’t even received it as yet.
Hunted 2025 winner Shaq (left) has revealed that they STILL haven’t received the prize money from Channel 4 – and that he got a huge hock behind the scenes of the gruelling show
This year’s eighth series of the popular programme, which hit the channel in 2015, premiered on October 12 and wrapped up on Monday 3 November
‘But I ran some time out for myself with the family, and basically just checked our thoughts, because it’s life changing.
‘Yeah, just collect our thoughts, and then we’ll see what the future brings us.’
Shaq, Marie, 43, and Andrew, 51, made it to the 21st day, but Andrew was the first to get caught out of the three of them.
This meant that the remaining two were against the clock to try and get to their final destination of the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone.
However Marie was too slow and was caught as she was about to board the train, while Shaq managed to jump on without anyone finding him.
During his chat with Daily Mail he also spoke about what it was like taking part in the popular programme, as well as behind the scene secrets that viewers don’t know.
But there was one thing that really shocked him.
‘There is one big secret, or not, the show is not scripted,’ he told us.
Former detective chief superintendent Ray Howard is currently the chief hunter in charge of the team looking for the fugitives
‘One secret, it’s not scripted, and it’s just all for me, it’s just pure alignment. But it was a great experience.’
When asked if he thought it was going to be scripted after watching it as a fan himself, he admitted: ‘Well, do you know what, watching it on TV…
‘Yes, because every movie that is out there, they run a script. So it’s just natural to expect that.’
He continued: ‘But when you’re going through the process, and then you’re asking questions, and they’re giving you information and letting you know how the show actually runs, there’s no script in place.
‘It’s like, go live and go and survive. And that’s what I like about it – is that you do everything.
‘They’re not saying, “Oh, don’t do this, or you can’t go hell, or you can’t do this”.
‘It’s just like, go and survive in the UK for 21 days and show us what you will do.’
Speaking about his partnership with Warren, Shaq said: ‘Working alongside my brother in law, like we got along very well, even though he got captured at the beginning.
‘But everything up to that point… It was good planning of both of us, that we both brought our ideas to the table.’
Addressing if he thought that Warren had made a mistake, he added: ‘I wouldn’t say it’s a mistake he made.
‘It’s just something on both of our parts. Both, it’s not just him, it’s also myself, because we both work together to get ourselves to that dentist.
‘So the hunt is tracking us there. It’s on both us to say, “Okay, where did we go wrong?”
‘Yes, I was able to get away, but whatever, wherever we both missed out brought us to that to that destination.’
Hunted hit our screens in September 2015 and there has been eight successful series to date.
Former detective chief superintendent Ray Howard is currently the chief hunter in charge of the team looking for the fugitives.
The show, narrated Jonathan Smith, is produced by Shine TV.
CEO of Shine TV & Zeppotron Leon Wilson said before the series dropped: ‘We’re thrilled to be back into production on two new series of Hunted in 2025 for Channel 4.
‘The series was co-developed by our brilliant new Director of Programmes, Matt Bennett, who I’m delighted to say will once again be overseeing the show.
‘Viewers are also in for a treat with the Celebrity version, with an ace cast of new celeb fugitives raring to go on run.’
Commissioning Editor Documentaries & Factual Entertainment for Channel 4 Ian Dunkley added: ‘It’s great to be returning one of Channel 4’s most popular brands.
‘Expect thrills, spills and the latest cutting-edge tech, as once again the fugitives discover just how hard it is to escape the investigative skills of a seasoned team of hunters.’