Channel 4 stars detained in Iran on round the world trip after ignoring advice
By Mia O'Hare and Neal Keeling
A British couple have been detained in Iran after ignoring warnings from family and the Foreign Office not to visit the country. Craig and Lindsay Foreman had appeared in the Channel 4 programme "A New Life In The Sun".
They have been travelling around the globe on a motorbike trip, but were detained by Islamic Republic's draconian security services last month. Their family have issued a desperate plea for them to be returned home as they expressed concern for their safety
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The couple who are in their early 50s, said they were putting their faith in there being 'good, kind humans' everywhere in the world as they entered the country from Armenia on December 30th. After crossing into Iran Mr Foreman, a carpenter, and Dr Foreman, a life coach, stayed in Tabriz, Tehran and Isfahan. But they never reached their next hotel in Kerman.
Originally from East Sussex and they had moved to southern Spain in 2019. Their move abroad was featured on the Channel 4 show. Lindsay had acknowledged the risks of travelling to Iran against Foreign Office advice was "slightly scary".
They wanted to travel all the way to Australia. They had planned to pass through a variety of countries on their route and crossed into Iran and planned to reach Pakistan by January 4th, The Mirror reports.
The Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Iran, warning of a "significant risk" of arrest, questioning or detention. Iranian state media issued blurred photos of Craig and Lindsay earlier this week as they met with UK ambassador Hugo Shorter. The regime used the tightly controlled press to say the couple had been detained on unspecified "security" offences.
The ministry released a message from their family that read: "We would like to take this opportunity to address the distressing situation concerning Craig and Lindsay Foreman who are currently being detained in Kerman, Iran. This unexpected turn of events has caused significant concern for our entire family, and we are deeply focused on ensuring their safety and well-being during this trying time.
"We are actively engaging with the British government and relevant authorities, working diligently to navigate the complexities of this matter. The family are united in our determination to secure their safe return. We truly appreciate the outpouring of support from friends, family, and the community, which has provided us with strength and encouragement as we face this ordeal.
In light of the circumstances, we kindly ask for the utmost respect regarding our family's privacy. The emotional burden of this situation weighs heavily on us, and we request that all media inquiries be directed to the FCDO as we manage this challenging chapter in our lives."
Just before the arrest, Lindsay had opened up on the risks involved in their trip. She wrote on Instagram: "Yes, we're aware of the risks. But we also know the rewards of meeting incredible people, hearing their stories, and seeing the breathtaking landscapes of these regions could far outweigh the fear. From the vast deserts of Iran to the towering peaks of Pakistan, we hope to share the beauty, hospitality, and humanity that often go unnoticed."
They had stayed in hotels in the cities of Tabriz, Tehran and Isfahan, accompanied by a tour guide. The Foremans moved on to Kerman, a provincial capital in the centre of the country, yet they never checked in to their booked hotel. Craig and Lindsay had been documenting their travels on social media and had praised their time in the country.
Lindsay said she was having "an amazing time" while Craig praised the "lovely people" they encountered in "lovely" country. A photo was shared of Lindsay on January 3 meeting a religious leader in the town of Isfahan, as they said: "Travel continues to teach me that humanity's core is shared: kindness, humility, and respect for one another."
In a Facebook post shared that same day, Lindsay shared: "Despite differences in culture, language, and traditions, we've seen something beautifully universal: kindness, humour, hospitality - and a shared love of good food!" She was reportedly working on a research project while travelling about the secrets to a well-lived life and intended to share her findings in Brisbane in July.
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Queen Elizabeth II meets the Olympic diving team including Tom Daley (R) at a reception held at Buckingham Palace for the 2008 Great Britain Olympic Team on October 16, 2008 in London, England. Tim GrahamWhy did you want to do the documentary now? Once I released my book in 2021, right after the Olympics in Tokyo, they approached me to do a little bit of a retrospective about my whole career and things like that, because there's so much footage out there from various documentaries that I've done in the past. But then it got to a point where they were like, "Oh, do you want to do something where you look back on everything?" And I was like, "Yeah, that would be great. But also, surprise! I'm also going back to dive again for another year." And it was one of those things that just—I don't know—it always feels weird when people approach you to do things like that. Because you're like, "Oh, what? Who would care? Who's interested in any of that?" But then I actually thought about my kids in that moment. Like, you know what? It would be really cool for my kids to be able to have something to look back on and see what all happened in my diving career. So, if anything, it's like a token—a thing for them, really. The doc also reveals things that I don't think a lot of us knew, like your experience with going back to school after the Olympics, and the bullying you were subjected to. What was it like watching all of that? Very lonely, honestly. It was a very lonely period because no one really understood. I had my best friends—Sophie, who is still my best friend today, who I never spoke to about diving. She's there to be, like, "Yay! That was great." But she doesn't have any interest in knowing what's going on within it. Well, maybe she does have interest. But she doesn't see me just as a diver. She's my best friend. So I think that's something that's really quite nice to have, and I'm really grateful for her. 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And just seeing that documentary and knowing that that's there for me to be able to always look back on and cherish those memories is pretty special. Tom Daley (L) and Dustin Lance Black pose at the PFLAG 50th Anniversary Gala at The New York Marriott Marquis on March 3, 2023 in New York City. Tom Daley (L) and Dustin Lance Black pose at the PFLAG 50th Anniversary Gala at The New York Marriott Marquis on March 3, 2023 in New York City. Bruce Glikas/WireImage There's also the impact of your husband, Dustin Lance Black. From the doc it does feel like so much of your life aligned after meeting him, from your marriage to even your Olympic games. Yeah, it gave me a sense of perspective. Of realizing that I'm more than just a diver. That diving isn't what matters most in life. It's all of the stuff on the outside. It's your friends, it's your family, it's feeling loved and supported. And without that, it's really difficult to succeed and not put the tons and tons of pressure on yourself. But when you go into a competition knowing that you're going to be loved and supported regardless of how you do, it's so incredibly freeing, and allows you just to be able to fly in the way that you never thought that you even possibly could. You've accomplished so much at such a young age. What do you do now? Honestly, I spend all my time knitting. There's lots of knitting that happens, which is great. Made with Love, my knitting business, is where my passion lies, and I want to keep expanding. But I also have done different TV hosting things. I just finished shooting a TV show in the U.K. called Game of Wool, which is basically like the knitting version of [The Great British] Bake Off. It's like a competition show. I'm hosting, and then there's two judges, 10 contestants. Each week, someone gets cast off—if you're a knitter, that is a knitting pun, when you cast off your work from your needles. It has been really fun. There's lots of things that we've been doing and working on with that. So yeah, we'll see what comes from that. But ideally, to work in TV hosting and expand my Made with Love passion. Britain's Tom Daley (L) knits in the stands next to Lois Toulson during the men's 3m springboard diving semi-final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on... Britain's Tom Daley (L) knits in the stands next to Lois Toulson during the men's 3m springboard diving semi-final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Aquatics Centre in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 7, 2024. More OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images How often do people ask you to randomly knit them things? Oh, all the time. I get asked to knit things all the time. And if I knit you something, that means that you're really important. Because I'm so busy with knitting things all the time for different people and different things. I do just genuinely love it. An ideal day would literally just be sitting by a pool—actually, I've done that my whole life—maybe on the beach, let's say. And just knitting the whole day. It's just so therapeutic to me. I often look forward to going on long-haul flights just to be able to have uninterrupted knitting time. Wow. You are going to be a great senior citizen. I know! I'm so ready for being a senior citizen. Well, kind of. Not really. But yeah, I feel like I'm going to be able to pass the time. As long as my hands are still working nicely as I get older. What do you ultimately hope people take from this documentary? I mean, there's so many different things. I think, obviously, never giving up on your dreams and working as hard as you possibly can toward them. But also accepting help, keeping people around you and being able to keep those open lines of communication. Being able to really have a support system around you—whether that's family, whether that's friends—and realize a sense of perspective that you're more than just what you do. And if you take a step back or take a break from what you do, and you see it from a different perspective, it really allows your perspective to shift when you go back into it. So I think that's one thing that I hope people take away from the documentary.
