Australia’s most intense game of hide and seek is back. Hunted Australia has returned to screens this week, and once again, we’re captivated by the chaos. Our Fugitives are officially on the run, and the Hunters are hot on their heels. With $100,000 on the line, the stakes are high, but how real is it all, and what goes on behind the scenes to ensure that what we see is authentic? We spoke to Hunted Australia Executive Producer Tim Ali to find out what goes into producing Australia’s biggest manhunt.
How Real Is Hunted Australia, Really?
According to Tim Ali? Very real.
“Hunted replicates the powers of state,” Ali said in an email. “The game of cat and mouse between Hunters and Fugitives is 100% real.”
The Hunters, both at HQ and on the ground, treat the game as they would any other real-life operation, he said.
“They make all the decisions and all strategy calls, we facilitate to make sure it plays out exactly as it would in the real world,” Ali added.
As for the Hunters, Ali said that they “do the show because it is as authentic as it can be”.
Ensuring that the show remains grounded in reality and as close to a real-life investigation is a high priority for Ali and the Hunted production crew.
“The accuracy of replicating real world scenarios is of key importance to us,” he said.
How They Ensure Real-World Accuracy on Behind the Scenes on Hunted
One of the lesser known details about the production of Hunted Australia is that they have a “fantastic police referee monitoring the entire time” working behind the scenes to ensure the show’s accuracy.
“He guides us on real world protocols and timings, so we are precise on the moves the HQ team and Ground Hunters make,” Ali explained.
Beyond that, the production teams that are assigned to the Fugitives and the Hunters “are kept completely separate from each other”, both in the lead up to filming and throughout production of the series.
This is done, Ali said, “to ensure absolutely no information gets to either [the] Hunters or Fugitives”.
“We take this seriously!” he added.
How Much Access Do the Hunters Have?
Noting that “all the Hunters are masters of their field” Ali said that they “can deep dive as much as they feel they need to catch the Fugitives”.
He explained: “Again, it’s about being as accurate as possible with regard to access too.”
Will Hunted Ever Go Nationwide?
Currently, the rules of Hunted Australia state that the Fugitives can go anywhere they want, as long as they stay within the borders of Victoria. As for whether the game will ever expand to a nationwide manhunt?
“Never say never,” Ali said, “but it would be a serious increase in resources to execute a hunt Australia wide.”
Which Fugitives Are the Ones to Watch This Season
According to Ali, Glenn and Taylah, and Ben and Callum are the teams to watch this season.
“Taylah is a top ranked fly-weight boxer and Glenn is her coach and mentor,” Ali said. “These two are seriously competitive and truly give the Hunters a run for their money!”
Meanwhile, Ali described Ben and Callum as “two young tech whiz gamers”.
“These boys directly target the cyber team with the aim of tripping them up,” he said. “They genuinely think they’re smarter! It’s game on between them and the Cyber team.”
As for which side Ali is rooting for?
“Definitely #TeamFugitives, it’s the underdog in me!” he replied.
Hunted Australia airs at 7.30pm, Sunday — Tuesday each week, only on 10 and 10 Play on Demand. Miss an episode? Catch up on 10 Play.
Want more Hunted Australia? Click here to read all our content, and check out the stories below:
- Hunting for ‘Hunted’ 2023 Details? Mate, We Have Got You Sorted
- Get Hyped: Here’s Where You Can Binge the International Versions of ‘Hunted’
- ‘Hunted Australia’ 2023: The Games Are About to Begin
- Meet Michelle, the Admin Behind Reality TV’s Favourite Facebook Groups
- CAPTURED! Here’s Who Went Home on ‘Hunted Australia’ 2023
- It’s Time to Meet the Fugitives of ‘Hunted Australia’ 2023
- Chief David Craig: “If Hunted Stops Being Real, I Won’t Have Anything to Do With It”
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