Zara McDermott has revealed she was left 'scared' and 'petrified' after almost being arrested while filming her latest BBC documentary in Thailand. The former Love Island star and TV host travelled to the country to explore its exotic paradise and darker side.
Despite obtaining permission to film in Bangkok's bars, police threatened the crew with arrest within hours of their arrival. McDermott described the escalating tensions: 'We nearly got arrested because of the filming that we were doing, but we'd got all the permissions in advance.' The bar owners also pressured them to leave, and a crew member had an ashtray thrown at them.
Police repeatedly asked the crew to delete their footage, risking the loss of days of work. 'That was a really scary moment of not only us potentially being arrested, but us losing what we were there to do,' McDermott said.
In the documentary, McDermott also speaks to sex workers who shared harrowing stories. One woman recounted being tied up by a customer who tried to force her to take an unknown pill. 'She could have died there easily,' McDermott said, adding that such stories 'keep you up at night.'
McDermott was heavily involved in the documentary's development, not just presenting. 'All the things I learned from filming, I always take home with me,' she said. Thailand: The Dark Side of Paradise is available on BBC iPlayer from Monday September 8.
