Skip to main content

Prison bars won’t stand in the way of these relationships. Reality series Love During Lockup is returning to WE tv in 2024. In the new episodes, a fresh cast of inmates and their partners will navigate the challenges of romance within the prison system. 

‘Love During Lockup’ premieres April 19 

Related

‘Prisoner of Love’: Chelsea Holmes Reveals How She Got Started as a Prison Matchmaker

Love During Lockup premieres Friday, April 19th at 9 p.m. ET on WE tv. All eight, hour-long episodes will also stream every Tuesday on AMC’s streaming service ALLBLK.

The new season of the show will reveal “the fascinating moments that happen when people look for love and begin relationships with inmates … each person has a unique strategy for finding love behind bars,” according to WE tv’s synopsis. “Some are completely obsessed with finding the prisoner of their dreams and their daily lives revolve around this pursuit. For others, this may be their first time reaching out and embarking on such an unconventional relationship. These couples face unique challenges from sending money, first video dates and visits, to the heartbreak and frustration of the prison system, but is it true love or just a con?”

One woman has spent over $30,000 on her prison boyfriend, even though she’s never met him in person. Another guy has connected with his high school sweetheart, who is now behind bars. And then there’s the woman whose inmate husband is monitoring her in her own home.

Meet the ‘Love During Lockup’ cast

Six couples will be featured in this season of Love During Lockup. 

Tennie and Rob (Yukon, Okla): Tennie is a mom of two whose husband, Rob, has been in prison for 16 years. But even though he’s behind bars, he’s managed to keep an eye on his wife and kids, thanks to a phone that allows him to watch his family through cameras in their house. At first, Tennie accepted the surveilance, but she’s beginning to bristle at Rob’s controlling ways and the face that his “eyes and ears everywhere.”

Ayonna and Jamahl (Lancaster, Penn.): Ayonna, a mom and exotic dancer, has known Jamahl for years. He was always off-limits because he was dating her best friend. But once they broke up, Ayonna moved in. Then, Jamahl ended up in prison.

Andrew and Candice (Greenwich, NJ): Andrew fell for Candice after they connected through a prison pen pal website. Now, he’s doing whatever it takes to set up Candice for a good life after she’s released. But will she say “yes” when pops the question?

Rick and Samantha (Gilbert, Ariz.): Rick wasn’t planning to get married for a third time, but then he reconnected with Samantha, his high school girlfriend. The catch? Samantha is locked up. But that didn’t stop him from proposing to her during a prison visit. 

Joey and Michael (Boise, Idaho): On the surface, Joey, 48, seems to have it all figured out. He has a good job, lives in a nice home, and has a handsome boyfriend. But his roommates are his parents and his boyfriend, Michael, is in prison on drug charges. 

Shonta and True (Kansas City, Missouri): Shonta has never met her boyfriend True in person, but that didn’t stop her from moving her family to another state to be closer to him. She’s also taken out two mortgages to make her relationship work, despite never visiting True in their two years together.

For more on the entertainment world and exclusive interviews, subscribe to Showbiz Cheat Sheet’s YouTube channel.

Best in Entertainment