Richard Madeley made to watch disturbing execution on visit to El Salvador prison

29 May 2026 • 4:25 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Richard Madeley made to watch disturbing execution on visit to El Salvador prison

  • TV presenter Richard Madeley recounted being shown an online execution during a visit to El Salvador's maximum security prison, CECOT, for a new Channel 5 documentary.
  • Madeley, 70, described on Good Morning Britain how he was given a phone displaying "horrifying footage" of the execution.
  • The footage depicted five men being killed in "full colour on camera" after reportedly straying into a rival gang's territory.
  • He characterised the viewing as an "ambush" but expressed that he was glad to have seen it, as it highlighted the brutality of the individuals involved.
  • The Centro de Confinamiento del Terrorismo (CECOT) in El Salvador houses thousands of prisoners serving life sentences.

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