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Former two-weight world boxing champion Carl Frampton has recently spent around nine months embedded with the Probation Board for Northern Ireland, gaining unique insight into their work. Ahead of a new documentary series that captures this experience, Frampton reflected on how boxing helped him avoid trouble early in life. “I’m not saying without boxing, I would’ve been a tearaway or in and out of jail. But I know that because I did have boxing, it certainly helped steer me away from that,” he explained.
The documentary marks the first time television cameras have been granted such extensive access to the Probation Board, which actively supervises over 4,100 individuals under various court orders and licences. Throughout the series, Frampton followed officers and those on probation, also hearing firsthand accounts from victims of crime. “I just wanted to find out for myself what it’s all about,” he told BBC News NI. The resulting programme, *Carl Frampton: On Probation*, sheds light on the day-to-day realities and challenges faced by probation officers.
Mental health issues emerge as a significant theme in the documentary, continuing from Frampton’s previous presenting work on *Carl Frampton: Men in Crisis*, where he explored the struggles many young men in Northern Ireland face. He observed that mental health problems often influence behaviour and noted, “the vast majority” of service users he met have dealt with some kind of mental health challenges. Many individuals he encountered shared backgrounds of childhood trauma, difficult upbringings, abuse, or abandonment. “When you hear their story and you hear everything that’s gone on in their lives as they were growing up, it kind of makes you feel sorry for them,” Frampton said, expressing sympathy and understanding of their later involvement with the justice system.
Reflecting on his own upbringing in a tough area of north Belfast surrounded by negative influences, Frampton credited boxing and positive role models, such as his parents and coaches, with keeping him on the right path. He hopes the documentary will deepen viewers’ understanding of probation services and their goals. Highlighting rehabilitation as the main focus, Frampton explained that probation aims to change behaviour, support reintegration into work, and help individuals become functioning members of society. He also stressed the importance of the relationship between probation officers and service users, noting, “When there is a good relationship then the service user will get the absolute most out of it.” With a new appreciation for the role, Frampton described probation officers as supportive rather than merely authoritative, emphasizing their commitment to rehabilitation rather than punishment. He also acknowledged the emotional toll the work takes on officers, who regularly confront difficult and harrowing stories.
Though Frampton’s career was rooted in professional boxing, he expressed enjoyment in presenting, describing how his background allows people to open up more freely to him without fear of judgment. “I’m not a reporter, I’m not a journalist, so I feel like I get a little bit more out of people, and they can maybe trust me a wee bit more and share more information a little bit freely,” he said. Frampton intends to continue presenting as long as there is interest and opportunity for him to share these important stories
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