Hunted Episode 4 Recap

With 6 fugitives still on the run and 13 days left, will any of them evade the Hunters and win?

Last episode ended with former police officer and family man, Jamie Clark, narrowly escaping the Hunters after he risked everything to see his wife.  We pick back up to see that the Hunters are pursuing him along country roads in Dorset.  While Jamie is fleeing, a herd of cows flood onto the road and he has to ditch his vehicle.

He runs into the woods pursued by the Hunters and leads them on a merry chase through a stream and thick undergrowth.  He tries to hide, but is caught eventually.  Arguably the show's strongest contestant has been caught.  Although thinking about it, in the past, the strongest contestants have never down that well.  In series 1, frontrunner Ricky Allen gave up halfway through and in series 2, former soldiers Kirk Bowett and Jez Scarratt were the first fugitives to be caught.

With Joe and Dan making a very brief appearance in the Lake District, we then move onto father and son team, Bob and Alex Ayling.  For me, they're quickly becoming hot favourites.  Alex has Asperger's and resultingly has low self-confidence: the complete opposite of his outgoing father.  However, Bob is devoted to his son and wants to do everything he can to help him.

But after 12 days on the run, their supplies and morale are running low and the Aylings know they need to make contact with the outside world.  With Bob being a Freemason, he decides to make use of his Freemason connections, by contacting his associate Kevin Kemp - a pub landlord.  However, the Hunters also determine this will be the Aylings' next stop and send a team to interview Kevin. 

The Aylings make their way to Kevin's pub, where Bob decides to scope out first, before sending Alex in.  The Hunters have long gone, but Kevin reveals that they were snooping around earlier, so instead the Aylings decide to hole up with another Freemason. 

The Aylings are able to have two secure days here, but being only 25 miles away from home, they become to sorely homesick.  As a morale booster, they decide they'll risk everything to try to touch home to see, wife and mother, Lynne Ayling.

But the Hunters have a similar idea.  They're getting nowhere with the Freemason, so they decide to refocus their efforts on Lynne Ayling.  They send a team to interview her and quickly determine that she is lying through her teeth.  They also determine that Freemason associate, Graham Skelting, is connected to it all.  They begin tracking his car through ANPR.

Meanwhile, Alex is becoming paranoid and he suggests that he and Bob split up to double their chances.  Bob agrees and on day 16, Kevin drives Alex to safety, while Bob prepares his own escape route.  However, the Hunters are just around the corner and Bob escapes through the skin of his teeth.  Graham leaves them a taunting message, before we move onto the final fugitive of this episode: Majid Mah.

Majid Mah is the Deputy Lord Mayor of Sheffield and is also an extrovert that loves to stir up trouble.  It's revealed that he is hiding in Manchester, gaining supplies, and is planning on escaping, but first he taunts the Hunters, through mocking tweets. 

The Hunters interrogate one of Majid's closest friends and associates, Helen Milner and Milton Pennyfeather, while Majid returns to his hometown of Sheffield and stays with his associates in the Green Party.  The Hunters note that there is a Green Party conference in town and they suspect with Majid's cheeky personality will make an appearance there.

They send a ground team to survey the conference, but it's revealed that Majid decided it was too risky to go to the conference.  However, the Hunters identify one of Majid's potential associates, Helen Milner, as well as her house and car.  The only problem? This is the associate Majid is staying with.  They send a team to Helen's house and carry out surveillance.

On Day 19, Milton informs Majid via the phone that the Hunters are hiding and he drives Majid to safety.  However, the Hunters track the phone call and are still tracking the car. 

They unleash everything they have to catch Majid who is heading for the Peak District.  They stop at a pub to gain their bearings, while the Hunters get a fleeting glimpse of them.  The episode ends with the Hunters spotting them on the road.  Will Majid be caught? We'll have to wait until next week to find out.

Top tips for going on the run:

1.  Don't visit home.  This is what caught out Jamie Clark.

2. Don't become overconfident.  This could be Majid's downfall.

3. Be wary of burner phones.  Even just using them once could be enough for the Hunters to track you down.