The inside track on life in our prisons

PRISON, CHANNEL 4

This documentary series lifts the lid on prison life, following not only the inmates, but the wardens at HMP Durham, too. Film crews spent weeks inside the notorious prison – which has housed Moors Murderers Myra Hindley and Ian Brady – giving an insight into everything from violence and drug misuse to mental health issues. Monday’s episode saw Tommy, who has been in and out of jail from the age of 16, confined to his cell due to his inability to get on with other inmates.

Tommy seemed to thrive on fighting, as if it were a mechanism for coping with life inside.

In one incident, lashing out at a warden resulted in him sustaining a very swollen and bloody black eye. (Staff are allowed to strike prisoners if they feel threatened).

He’s only 28, but destined to spend at least the next decade inside.

I almost felt sorry for him, unable to break the cycle of violence.

Fellow lag Troi has been transferred between 27 prisons in four years for attacking members of staff and inmates. But he seemed to benefit from therapy and was keen to turn his life around. However, later in the episode, he lost his cool when his cellmate got into a fight and he ended up in trouble – again.

This was interesting, but heartbreaking. It made me wonder if, as well as being punished, prisoners are intent on punishing themselves.

POTHOLE WARS, ITV

This show followed the council workers fighting the never-ending battle to patch up our roads. Remarkably they still seem to be making motorists angry, especially when they closed a road and managed to cause a nine-mile diversion. Seems fixing the problem is pot luck!