For his latest Channel 5 documentary, Ben Fogle has headed to Slab City – an off-the-grid, alternative lifestyle community in California that’s billed as the ‘last free place in America’.
And in a first-look clip exclusive to RadioTimes.com, the presenter can be seen chatting to a couple who share their experience of moving to the city.
“I’m a pretty confident individual, I’ve seen most things, but I know there are dark places to avoid – it’s very, very obvious,” Fogle says before we see him chat with the couple, Ryan and Jessie.
“I am terrified here, absolutely terrified,” Jessie begins.
“There was somebody who saw us initially and thought that we looked like we wouldn’t do very well here,” Ryan adds. “So they were like. ‘Hey, you guys need to be careful out here because there’s child rapists and dog rapists and murderers.’ And we’re like, ‘Yeah, we figured.’”
“Yeah, they exist, they’ve got to go somewhere,” explains Jessie. “They’re not just going to evaporate into the Earth. When they get kicked out of society, they come here. And as much magical creativity as there is in Slab City, that’s the true heart of Slab City: felons, frankly. You know, people that just can’t make it anywhere else, by and large.”
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We then hear Fogle explaining that he’s “beginning to understand the very different side of Slab City” before he meets another new arrival in the community, Jacob, who’s moved into a recently abandoned trailer.
“Did you get to hear why the last person left, or last people left?” Fogle asks him.
“No, they just left,” is the response. “They left all their stuff, literally everything.”
Jacob later shows him some graffiti on the trailer that he says “might be one of the examples as to why the last guy left”. It reads: “Women beater, get out or we will use fire.”
“From what I understand, I can’t imagine somebody would warn someone about that,” he explains. “I feel like out here they’d probably just light the camper on fire.”
You can watch the clip in full below.
A synopsis for the documentary reads: “An enigma, with a lawless reputation, Slab City takes its name from concrete slabs that remained after a World War II Marine training camp was torn down.
“Part artists’ colony, part homeless city, this one-square-mile patch of desert is divided into unique neighbourhoods with different characteristics – from Pirate Camp to East Jesus Art collective and the LGBTQIA Flamingo Camp.
“Deep in this barren wasteland, Ben delves inside this extraordinary freedom-seeking community, where no one has an official address, there is no mains water, electricity, sewer, or rubbish collection and people survive in summer temperatures of over 50 degrees.”
Ben Fogle & The Lost City airs Thursday 21st April at 9pm on Channel 5. If you’re looking for more to watch check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub for the latest news.
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