New Lifetime Reality Show ‘Prison Brides’ Follows Foreign Women Preparing to Marry Men In United States Prisons

Emma and her In-the-Slammer Soulmate, Curtis…

Nothing will stop the women of Lifetime‘s upcoming reality show, Prison Brides, from marrying the men they love– not even prison bars!

The network announced earlier this week that its adding ‘Prison Brides’ to its 2024 roster. The show will follow seven women from all over the world who are planning to marry a man imprisoned in the United States. 

“While they started off as prison pen pals, these women fell hard and found themselves willing to risk it all for love,” a press release from Lifetime states. “The docuseries follows the women as they travel from their homes –- many visiting the United States for the first time –- to meet their prisoner fiancés, husbands, or partners, to chart their futures together.”

In the first trailer for ‘Prison Brides,’ the brides-to-be are discussing heading to America to meet and marry their legally-challenged lovers.

“If something happens, nobody will help you there,” one bride’s mother tells her. “You’re alone in a country where you’ve never been before.” 

One women, Andreaa is shown driving by the prison to catch a glimpse (and get a wave from) her prison Prince Charming, Cage (no pun intended). 

“I was sentenced to 50 years for aggravated robbery,” Cage tells us later.

Another prison, Joseph, promises that he and his bride-to-be will “create a life together”— just as soon as he’s released from the slammer.

“With the couples facing harsh judgment from friends, family and strangers, the brides grapple with uncertainty and their ultimate decision to risk it all for true love,” the press release states. “Will true love prevail for these star-crossed lovers with the odds stacked against them?”

Meet the ‘Prison Brides’ Season 1 cast below!

Erin & Michael

Erin is a single mom from Australia who plans to move to Ohio so she can marry Michael, who is about to be released from prison after spending most of his adult life in jail. 

“She’s moving away from everyone and everything that she’s ever known for someone that she’s only met once, that is in prison!” Erin’s friend says in the trailer. 

Svea & Joseph

Svea hails from Germany and met Joseph when they became online penpals. She is going to move to Michigan to be with him once he’s released. 

Jessica & Craig

Jessica is from Australia, but has already married prisoner Craig and moved to Kansas to start a life with him.

Emma & Curtis

UK native Emma is ready to marry Curtis, a convicted carjacker, despite the fact that Curtis is still in prison. Her parents are against the marriage and are urging her not to go to the United States.  

Andreea & Cage

Andreea, a student in London, plans to get hitched to Texas prisoner Cage. He was convicted of aggravated burglary and still has 40 years left to serve on his sentence. 

Olivia & KJ

Olivia, a dance teacher from the UK, is planning to move to America to marry KJ, a man who proposed to her three days after they met. 

Gabby & Jamal

Gabby– who hails from Germany–is in a relationship with Jamal, who is a convicted murderer. Gabby is trying to figure out how to appeal Jamal’s sentence. 

‘Prison Brides’ premieres January 10 on Lifetime. Watch the first trailer below! 

RELATED STORY: Todd Chrisley Accuses Prison Staff of Mistreatment, Serving “Disgustingly Filthy” Food to Inmates: Claims Warden is Trying to “Break” Him

(Photos: Lifetime)

11 Responses


  1. There’s this couple on there, Curtis and Emma. Curtis got busted for carjacking and fleeing the police. He is a known human trafficker in the Metro Detroit area. We’re not talking about pimping women here. No, what he did was much more evil. He would engage in kidnapping, drugging, and solicitation of minors. The girl I know that was trafficked by him was 14 when she had the misfortune of meeting Curtis “Getta Dolla” last name unknown. He had a habit of doing this to several minors by the time she was taken by him. Lifetime is clearly a network that romanticizes human traffickers


  2. I really want to watch this train-wreck unfold but I refuse to give it attention. Regular people go to prison/jail, humans make mistakes. My husband was in jail for 4yrs (after we met) & returned a new man. He changed his life because he’s a good person. You aren’t getting 40+ years for something not malicious or violent. Seems like a grasp at 15sec of fame


    1. That’s actually not true with habitual criminal and 3 strike laws. As well as allowing them to have sentences run consecutively. I was a penpal with someone who got 60 years for car thefts and burglaries. He never committed a violent crime. The cars were unoccupied when he stole them and he never broke into a house when someone was home. He had however been in and out of jail since he was a teenager for similar drug related crimes. So at 28 when he committed more of the same type of crimes they were able to apply the habitual criminal law and times the sentence he would normally have received by 4. I also had another penpal who is actually doing LWOP under a 3 strikes law where again no one was actually physically harmed during his crimes. They both definitely deserved prison time but the US has some very harsh sentencing laws.


  3. ???

    This is “90 day fiance” and “love after lockup” combined. I don’t think any relationship in this series is going to go well…


    1. That’s a very good question. I’m assuming family members or friends are stepping in. That’s a big commitment, though…


  4. I think this is great. Who wouldn’t want a criminal, felon, dead-beat, going nowhere in life scumbag to allow you to get a green card??

    Except…who in the Sam Hell leaves Australia to endure the harsh winters of the Midwest here????

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