ITV has abruptly canceled a scheduled documentary featuring Barrie Drewitt-Barlow and his partner Scott Hutchison following a series of police raids linked to a serious criminal investigation. The network confirmed the removal of the production from its broadcasting schedule after law enforcement officials targeted properties associated with Drewitt-Barlow as part of a probe into alleged rape and human trafficking.
The documentary, titled Up The Jammers, was designed as a fly-on-the-wall series focusing on the couple’s management of the non-league football club Maldon & Tiptree. The series was slated to premiere next Wednesday at 10 p.m. On ITV4, but the broadcaster has since scrubbed the program from both its linear channel and its streaming platform, ITVX.
The decision follows a coordinated operation by Essex Police on Wednesday, May 6, which involved searches of multiple premises and the arrest of two individuals. The investigation is currently focusing on allegations of human trafficking for sexual exploitation and other sexual offenses.
Police Raids and Human Trafficking Investigation
The escalation began on Wednesday afternoon, May 6, when officers from the Serious Crime Directorate at Essex Police executed a series of warrants. Forensic teams were observed conducting searches at the Drewitt-Barlow Stadium in Maldon, Essex, as well as properties located in Braintree and Danbury.
A spokesperson for Essex Police confirmed the nature of the operation, stating, “Detectives leading an investigation into human trafficking for sexual exploitation, rape and other sexual offences have today, Wednesday, May 6 made two arrests and carried out a series of warrants.”
According to police reports, two men—aged 57 and 32—were taken into custody and remain under questioning by detectives. While the police have not officially named the individuals in custody, the raids specifically targeted premises owned by Drewitt-Barlow, one of the individuals featured in the canceled series.
The Cancellation of ‘Up The Jammers’
The canceled production, Up The Jammers, was intended to provide an intimate look at the operations of Maldon & Tiptree, the non-league football club run by Drewitt-Barlow and Hutchison. The series was positioned as a centerpiece of the upcoming ITV4 schedule, highlighting the couple’s roles within the sporting community.
However, the sudden nature of the police investigation led to the immediate removal of the show. Without a public announcement to viewers, ITV4 replaced the documentary’s time slot with a wrestling program for the upcoming Wednesday evening broadcast.
The removal extends beyond the television broadcast, as the network has ensured the content will not be available for on-demand viewing, effectively scrubbing the project from the public eye during the active police probe.
ITV’s Official Response
ITV has remained concise regarding the reasons for the sudden scheduling change, citing the ongoing legal situation as the catalyst for the decision. A spokesperson for the network confirmed that the program would no longer be part of their programming slate.
“ITV has decided to remove Up The Jammers from the upcoming schedule,” the spokesperson stated. “It will no longer be shown on ITV4 or ITVX as previously advertised.”
The network’s swift action reflects the severity of the allegations being investigated by the Serious Crime Directorate. By pulling the content from both linear and digital platforms, ITV has distanced itself from the production while the Essex Police continue their coordinated searches and interrogations.
As of May 7, searches remain ongoing at the designated locations in Maldon, Braintree, and Danbury. The next confirmed checkpoint in this developing story will be the status of the two men currently in custody and whether formal charges will be filed following the conclusion of police questioning.
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