A group of famous faces are set to take on the challenge of their lives, as they work on the front line of British policing with one of the country’s busiest police forces in Channel 4’s Famous and Fighting Crime (w/t).

TV presenter Katie Piper, Loose Women panellist Penny Lancaster, Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing, Gogglebox star Sandi Bogle and comedian Marcus Brigstocke are the five well-known rookies being given the chance to see what it’s really like to be at the sharp end of policing.

Our famous crime fighters will be with Cambridgeshire Constabulary, responding to real 999 calls, working in custody, and even CID, as well as taking part in high risk drugs raids and keeping order in rowdy city centres at the weekend.

After years of budget cuts, police forces are under more pressure than ever and the five will be joining an army of 12,000 volunteer officers who police towns and cities all across the UK. Volunteers known as ‘Special Constables’ have all the powers of a warranted police officer and work alongside their regular colleagues on the frontline but do so in their spare time, often working around their own careers and personal lives.

Famous & Fighting Crime (w/t) was commissioned by Channel 4 Formats Commissioning Editor Lee McMurray and Head of Formats Dom Bird. The 4x60’ series will be made by Blast! Films with executive producers Ed Coulthard and Dermot Caulfield. Claire McFall will Series Produce.

Lee McMurray, Commissioning Editor for Formats at Channel 4 said, “We’re delighted to have secured such a smart, diverse cast of famous faces for this once in a lifetime opportunity, which will not only provide Channel 4 viewers with fascinating insights into the realities of modern policing, but also allow them to see some of their favourite household names in a new and surprising light.”

Edmund Coulthard, Executive Producer from Blast! Films adds, “As police budgets go down, and the pressures on police forces go up, our celebrities are joining the thousands of volunteers risking everything on the frontline of policing today. It’s certain to be a life changing experience – no one can predict the criminals or the crimes they’ll encounter”.

Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable Dan Vajzovic says “This is a great opportunity to showcase the valuable work of the Special Constabulary and give viewers a chance to see some of the excellent work our officers do day in day out, but which often remains hidden. The series promises to be entertaining and impactful, offering the viewer a unique view of the role volunteers play in policing their own communities, and I hope it will inspire many others to volunteer for their police force.”