We Are England S2022E59 - Livvy Haydock: My Hometown

Livvy Haydock is known for documenting crime and interviewing violent criminals. In recent years she's tracked down kidnappers, drug smugglers and moped gangs robbing people on London's streets – to name a few. She's used to uncovering secrets, but for the first time she's turning the tables and sharing her own story – revealing where her fascination with crime began.

Growing up in an army family, Livvy spent part of her childhood in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, where she became used to patrols and bombings. Livvy says growing up in that environment made her comfortable with threats. Later, she moved to Kent and spent a lot of time in Folkestone. Here, Livvy witnessed close friends go through difficult experiences, eventually writing her first published piece of journalism about one of them.

It was in London, though, that Livvy began to grow her book of underworld contacts. She met self-confessed ‘ex-villain' Dave Courtney, who introduced her to gang members and helped prepare her for her life of chasing criminals. Her desire to understand why some people choose such a painful path through life has never left her.