Meet the cast of HUNTED AUSTRALIA 2022

Australia’s real-life game of cat and mouse is about to begin when 10’s thrilling edge-of-your-seat series, Hunted, premieres on Channel 10 and 10 Play.  

This fly-on-the-wall series follows nine teams of Fugitives who go on the run from a team of expert Hunters. They must stay on the move and attempt to throw the Hunters off their scent. The Fugitives can run anywhere in Victoria and how they evade capture, is up to them. Can they disappear without a trace?  

The Fugitives are released on to the streets of Melbourne’s CBD with an overnight bag and five hundred dollars. They must be cunning and resourceful, some will seek help from friends, family and complete strangers. Where will they hide? Who can they trust?   

Trying to track their every move is the team at Hunted HQ – an elite team of investigators with backgrounds in the Australian Federal Police, Defence Force and British Intelligence. Their reputations are on the line. Leading them is The Chief, Former Detective Superintendent David Craig, an internationally recognised expert in surveillance and covert operations.  

Also pursuing the Fugitives are the Ground Hunters, strategically placed around Victoria, all with extensive military and police backgrounds.  

If the Fugitives can evade capture for 21 days, they will win a share of $100,000.

It’s time to meet the Fugitives. 

Angie, 56, QLD & Michelle, 53, QLD

Dubbing themselves the ‘Swifty Fifties’, best friends of 30 years and sisters-in-law Angie and Michelle are grabbing this adventure by the throat. Raising five sons between them, they know they’ll be considered underdogs, but that only serves as further motivation.

Michelle, an Accounts Clerk, believes their steely determination and never-give-up attitude will be their strength on the run, even if the odds are stacked against them.

“Every day will be a challenge, and every day passed will be considered a win,” she says.

Michelle says her biggest goal is to make herself and her kids proud, and to have once-in-a-lifetime stories to tell the grandkids one day. Single mum Angie wants to make her boys proud too – it’s all about proving what she can do and showing her two sons what not to do!

For Angie, a District Manager, there’s another layer, a poignant call towards her late father, who was in fact on the run with the infamous Richardson gang in London in the 1960s, and from the authorities for a good deal of his life. While he taught her a thing or two about being elusive, her dad also said she could never understand what life had been like for him, “well, I’m hoping maybe this will give me an idea.”

Aware how much they may be monitored, Angie and Michelle plan to evade the Hunters by misleading them, staying on the move and blending in like chameleons.

Angie adds, “I’m happy to rough it and will stink to high heaven if it keeps us off the Hunters’ radar!”

Derek, 24, NSW & Courtney, 22, NSW

For friends Derek and Courtney, Hunted represents more than just a once-in-a-lifetime chance to move beyond their comfort zones. For this pair, being positive role models for family, friends and community is their number one priority.

Working as an Aboriginal Education Officer, elite netballer Courtney has binged true crime shows in preparation and says, “the plan is to try to divert the Hunters to places we are not.”

Proud Biripi woman Courtney speaks of her motivation being way above personal achievement, “My goal is to paint Aboriginal people in a positive light and be a positive role model to Indigenous girls in particular. I want to show them that they can do anything they dream of.”

Originally from Western Australia, proud Whadjuk Noongar man Derek is passionate about learning and teaching Aboriginal culture and the former WA Young Person of the Year now lives on Gadigal land. Not having spent much time in Victoria, the pair plan to rely on Indigenous community links across the state, and people they meet along the way to help avoid detection.

Youth Mentor and Cultural Facilitator Derek is most looking forward to “the adrenaline rush, the thrill that comes with being pushed to your limits. I want to positively represent my mob and test my intuition in the unknown.”

Quick and agile with the ability to plan swiftly, this team feel mentally well-prepared, and believe they have the street smarts to pull it off.

Erina-Lea, 38, QLD & Jess, 28, QLD

Gutsy Gold Coast friends Erina-Lea and Jess both love a challenge and share a feisty sense of fun. They also share a hunger to succeed at anything they do. Outrunning the Hunters now topping their list.

Business owner and mum of two Erina-Lea says “this will be my one and only chance to ever run from the authorities,” and she’s going to do what it takes to always be one step ahead: keep moving, avoid making patterns, stay off the grid and make good choices.

Bringing both mental toughness and physical fitness, the pair believe they’ll be treated as underdogs, but will draw on their resilience and inner strength to surprise the Hunters and prove them wrong.

Content creator and business owner Jess has adventure coursing through her veins – whether it’s piloting helicopters, free diving, wakeboarding or surfing: if it’s high octane, it’s for Jess.

With a mantra of never-give-up, Jess thinks invisibility whilst on the run will be key, as will being open to change each and every day.

“I’d say I’ve put the most preparation in mentally. We know there’s going to be a lot of pressure, but we’re doing this as a team and we will push forwards together.”

Adrenaline-junkie Erina-Lea says, “I’ll do what it takes to get to the end. I have a strong mind. The Hunters will stereotype me, they’ll doubt I can make it to the end, but I’ll have the last laugh from the escape transport.”

The perfect mix of impulsive, adventurous, emotional and focussed, Erina-Lea and Jess plan on taking home Hunted’s inaugural Aussie prize.

Jake, 31, WA & Rob, 33, WA

Best friends Jake and Rob might appear like chalk and cheese, but they believe their diverse skills will combine on Hunted to outsmart the elite investigators. These two are making plans, and then contingency plans, aiming always to be two steps ahead.

Jake, a serving police officer, is about to walk a mile in a fugitive’s shoes. The question is, will his eight years on the beat prove an advantage, or will the hunter become the hunted? He knows the target on his back will be a big one, “I’ll be making sure we do everything I’ve learnt that can make an individual hard to locate”

As a hairdresser and special effects make-up artist by trade, Rob is a master of disguise and putting his expertise to good use on the run will be key to their strategy. Adding his resourcefulness to their toolkit, Rob anticipates his ability to think on his feet will prove a forté.

“My physical and mental determination and endurance will be underestimated but working in a very demanding business has been the ultimate training,” he says.

While physically fit, Jake says that “mentally, it’s hard to know how prepared I am until I put it to the test. What I do know through my work is that pressure can breed mistakes.”

Jake and Rob think success will lie in staying calm, trusting the process and the bottom line: never quitting.

Karen, 56, SA & Brittany, 27, SA

A fan of Hunted since the first UK series, Karen vowed to apply if ever she had the chance, knowing that niece Brittany would make the perfect co-conspirator. Both are strong, opinionated women, Brittany full of energy and cunning, and Karen, the wit to outsmart the Hunters.

Joking that her training has comprised of “playing come find me with my puppy”, Cost Intelligence Manager Karen is analytical, exacting and fastidious and feels ready for what the experience might throw at them. Planning minimal external contact, no pre-planned itineraries and going off grid wherever possible, Karen knows that paranoia is likely to set in.

“One of our strengths will be asking strangers for help, but it will be a weakness at the same time, not knowing who we can trust,” she says.

Buildings Project Officer Brittany is used to being underestimated, and to proving people wrong. She expects Hunted to be no different. Tenacious Brittany expects her competitive and daredevil nature will continually drive the team forward.

To Brittany it seems that “online surveillance is at a point where we truly do not know how much we are being watched. It will be exhilarating to go undetected in a world surrounded by technology.”

Feeling remarkably calm at the outset, the pair is determined to go with the flow but will triple check all their moves, trusting their gut to lead them to the finish line. They believe their grit and determination will see them rise above their underdog status to outplay the Hunters.

Nicholas, 30, NSW & Lavinia, 27, NSW 

For engaged couple Nick and Lavinia, Hunted is not simply the adventure of a lifetime, it is the ultimate test of their relationship before heading down the aisle.

Model and presenter Lavinia loves crime and psychological thrillers and is ready to insert herself into the show’s real-life plot line.

“People might write me off as an Eastern suburbs princess, but I’m strategic and resilient. I’m persuasive and good at getting people to do what I want,” she says.

Happiest when outdoors and offline, landscape architect Nick can’t wait to test his survival skills, hoping to rough it in the wilderness. Luxuries to Nick are “a good pair of boots and wet weather gear – plus I have Lavinia so that’s all I need.”

Planning on being both kind and cunning, Lavinia knows she is mentally strong under pressure, but also prone to being emotional. She’s out to prove to herself, and everyone she knows, that she is tough enough and smart enough to take this on and succeed.

Nick knows that he and his fiancé can sometimes be poles apart, and that this may make for some interesting dynamics on the run. He is resourceful and plans on charming people into helping them. They’ll rely on the kindness of strangers, but also know they can’t trust anyone, planning to lie as much as possible to throw the Hunters off the scent.

With a strategy to move, move, move, stay off the grid and never create a pattern, Nick and Lavinia know just how difficult the experience is likely to be, and they’re champing at the bit to get started.

Puneet, 33, VIC & Kris, 34, VIC

With a newborn daughter at home in his wife’s arms, Puneet’s drive to succeed on Hunted comes from just one place: making his girls proud. But his biggest motivation may also prove his biggest weakness, as he strives to last three weeks without making contact.

Best mates Puneet and Kris bonded over a shared passion for fitness. Gym junkie Kris works out six days a week.

Born in India, Disability Services Manager Puneet says the pair will rely heavily on their people skills, tapping into their own networks, but also counting on the kindness of strangers as they attempt to stay incognito for 21 days. Puneet says, “the game plan is there is no game plan. For us, it will be to go with the flow and be impromptu.”

Where Puneet is creative, passionate and an ideas man, tech-savvy Kris is a critical thinker. A Stock Trader by day, Kris’ analytical mind will be a tactical attribute as the pair weigh up routes and risks. By his own admission, he can be pretty crafty too.

Reflecting on his motivation for going on the run Kris says, “I want to test myself and push the envelope of the limitations I have placed on myself. I want to prove I can do anything I put my mind to. I believe I will win. Belief is the single biggest contributor to whether you can or will win or lose anything.”

Sonny-Joe, 37, NSW & Grace, 26, NSW 

Having included Jane Fonda aerobics workouts amongst their Hunted training, no one can suggest that friends Sonny-Joe and Grace are ill-prepared for the adventure that awaits.

Planning on using their passion for fashion as a weapon of choice, personal shopper Grace says, “Our biggest strength will be disguising ourselves, morphing into new personas to confuse the Hunters – new voices, new stories, new outfits.”

While not keen on skipping showers and going hungry, for Grace, Hunted is about proving to herself how tough she really is. “I will refuse to give up when it gets really hard. The goal is to stay away from everything and everyone we know for as long as possible.”

For former music industry staffer Sonny-Joe, the appeal lies in the thrill of the chase. Disguises and decoys will throw the Hunters off their scent, and Sonny-Joe plans on wielding his charm to turn strangers into allies.

“We will avoid capture by sticking to the plan and improvising – getting strangers to help us and not getting comfortable along the way, that’s when fatigue and complacency can set in.”

What they may lack in survival skills and readiness to rough it, this pair make up for in heart and perseverance. “I don’t know how to change a tyre or put up a tent, but when you have faith, determination and drive, anything can happen,” says Sonny Joe.

“I’m doing this to push myself, to test myself. The Hunters will underestimate us, so we’re definitely underdogs. But they won’t expect how driven we’ll be to get down and dirty at all lengths to make it to the end. I have so much faith in Grace and I to pull this off.”

Stathi, 35, VIC & Matt, 35, VIC

For best friends Stathi and Matt, the appeal of Hunted is layered. Here to push personal limits and challenge themselves, they also want to publicly break down stereotypes.

Humanitarian worker Stathi is out to prove their strategic and operational focus, and the lengths they will go to stay out of sight.

“I am proud to represent the multi-faceted queer community,” he says.

Having formerly worked in surveillance, Stathi warns against underestimating his resilience. It’s hard-earned he says, “from growing up as a gay Greek in a predominantly heteronormative world.”

Matt brings his logistics background to the game, his planning abilities a clear strength. No stranger to roughing it, Matt once travelled the world for seven months without once taking a plane, proving he is resourceful, creative, and perhaps a tiny bit mad.

“We are the perfect balance of strategy and operations, physical and mental strengths, plus we both have determination, resilience, and the ambition to succeed,” says Stathi.

While ready to complement each other on the run, the pair know full well that paranoia will build as each day passes.

“I take surveillance pretty seriously, and while I appreciate its place in discouraging anti-social behaviour, I’m also very wary that big brother is always watching,” says Matt.

Or in this case, the Hunters.

The Hunters

Dr. David Craig – Chief

Hunted Chief David Craig is an exemplary Australian law enforcement veteran of considerable experience. As a Detective Superintendent and Australian Federal Police (AFP) Agent with decades of experience, David led several high-profile investigations, including the 2005 Bali bombings investigation that tracked down South-East Asia’s most wanted terrorist, Dr. Azhari.

During his career, David also provided close personal protection (bodyguard) for three Australian Prime Ministers and was deployed to a variety of countries and environments ranging from the jungles of East Timor (2001, United Nations) to the deserts of Afghanistan (2009-2010, NATO Forces).

In 2001, David was awarded a doctorate in law (SJD) for his international comparative analysis of the law and practise of federal undercover programs in Australia, USA, UK and the Netherlands. David has trained and worked with several international undercover programs including the FBI, Scotland Yard and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Additionally, David has authored several academic articles about undercover operations and a number of non-fiction books including Lie Catcher, Unlocking Secrets and Defeating Terror – Behind the hunt for the Bali bombers.

Since retiring from the AFP in 2013, David has run his own covert operations consultancy, working both in Australia and abroad. As a recognised international covert operations specialist, there is none better placed than Dr. David Craig to lead an elite team of Hunters in their quest to apprehend all 18 Fugitives before the 21 days are up.

Ben Owen – Deputy, Intelligence

Former British Intelligence Officer, Ben Owen is an internationally recognised expert in surveillance and covert operations. Joining Hunted as Deputy, Intelligence, during his career Ben has gathered intelligence for some of the most high-profile manhunts in recent British history across a 10-year intelligence career.

Before this, Ben served in the British military as a sniper, and was deployed across the globe, including the Gulf War II aged 19. Moving into the private sphere, Ben’s covert intelligence work has proven integral in keeping many lives safe.

A part of the Hunted UK team since the program’s inception in 2015, Ben brings an unrivalled understanding of what drives the Fugitives and effective tactics to track them down, having served as both Deputy Chief and then Chief of the award-winning UK series, stepping down as Chief after its fifth series.

Ben was also UK Chief for Hunted’s third Celebrity series and was a Senior Analyst on the American adaptation of the show in 2017. Ben now works in cyber security and digital intelligence, advising organisations around the globe on cyber safety and necessary protections in an increasingly volatile digital world.

With many years’ experience in high-pressure environments, Ben remains calm under fire and promises to bring his laser focus to the Hunted investigation.

Reece Dewar OAM – Deputy, Operations

As Hunted’s Deputy, Operations, Reece Dewar OAM brings to the investigation a wealth of varied experience drawn from a highly-decorated 30-year career.

During 23 years spent with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) in training and operational deployment, Reece served in the Special Operations Command for 12 of these years, and was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for services to the Special Operations Community. Highly experienced in counter-terrorism and offshore recovery operations, following his retirement from the military, Reece served as an advisor to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Government in Special Operations, based in UAE for seven years. He has been responsible for the development of National Level Defence and Law Enforcement Capabilities within Australia and the Middle East, and has significant experience in national security, operational management and training.

Upon returning to Australia in 2018, Reece became Venue Security Operations Coordinator for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games Corporation and has since established elite training firms providing niche capability training to law enforcement, military, security and executive firms.

Reece’s significant tactical and operational skills will rightly be feared by the Fugitives as he expertly leads and deploys the various Ground Hunter teams, not stopping before each Fugitive is apprehended.

Jason Edelstein – Lead Cyber

Jason Edelstein brings over 20 years of commercial information security experience to the Hunted HQ team, where he takes up the role of Lead Cyber.

Jason has worked in customer facing cyber security consulting and internal risk management roles both locally and abroad for a range of leading global firms.

He joins Hunted from leading cyber security firm CyberCX, where, as Executive Director Security Testing and Assurance, he leads a 140-strong team of ethical hackers.

The largest team of its type in the Asia Pacific region, services are rendered to private and public sector clients in assessing and managing cyber risk, responding to incidents and providing security training.

Jason has a strong technical pedigree as a practitioner to deliver penetration testing, red teaming, application security, security assessments, compliance and risk-oriented outcomes.

Uniquely positioned to bring his niche cyber industry intelligence to Hunted HQ, Jason and his talented team of open-source analysts, ethical hackers and digital forensic specialists will be essential as the hunt for the Fugitives’ steers into the digital landscape.

Dr Karla Lopez – Forensic Psychologist

Primed to reach inside the Fugitives’ minds to drill down into their motivations, strengths and weaknesses, Doctor of Forensic Psychology Karla Lopez, joins the Hunted HQ team.

With her forensic mindset and methodology, Karla will help the team to anticipate the Fugitives’ next moves in the race to track them down.

With more than 20 years’ experience, Karla has held senior psychologist roles within correctional, community health, prison and policing settings, including work for the Department of Justice and Victoria Police.

With a particular interest in risk assessment and offender management, across her career Karla has specialised in the provision of workplace training in relation to evidence-based practice.

She is passionate about mentoring fellow psychologists. Karla will bring a unique perspective to the intelligence gathered at Hunted HQ, set to share insights which will take the investigation in brand new directions.

Graeme Simpfendorfer – Lead Investigator

Having worked on the front line of policing for 27 years, recently retired Victoria Police Detective Sergeant Graeme Simpfendorfer brings his nuanced skillset to Hunted HQ, with experience garnered across policing in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional North- East Victoria.

Used to dealing with highly stressful and dynamic situations across his career, Graeme’s work has spanned day-to-day policing, all the way through to the investigation, arrest and successful prosecution of armed robbery and homicide suspects.

Calm and analytical by nature, Graeme has worked in the Homicide Squad, Drug Units, on Armed crime taskforces and with Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Units across a highly-decorated and dedicated career.

Serving as Deputy Mayor for the City of Wodonga in regional Victoria, Graeme also runs an investigative consultancy. On Hunted, expect Graeme to lead his team of intel analysts and officers to an exacting standard to ensure that no stone is left unturned in pursuit of the Fugitives.

Hunted Australia – Premieres Sunday, 17 July At 7.30pm On 10 And 10 Play.