United Kingdom

the rule is, the production company has to have your express permission if you directly talk to the camera or are featured in the footage. If you are in public and part of the crowd you cant ask for removal unless theres a good reason like court cases or something. You have to sign a form if you are more than just a person passing.

heathrow in particular is interesting because nearly all large airports are public owned and heathrow is private. This is important because the production company has permission to film from the owners, and so as a customer you are on their premises and subject to their terms of entry, one of which is being filmed as a member of the public. If the production company does interview you or features you (not just a passing person) and do not have permission there have been many cases where the program has been held from broadcast until the matter is resolved. If you think you need to ask them the company and names of production staff are on the credits of the show.

I know of one case with a prank tv show where the company pranked an estate agent by blowing up the house, and he got PTSD. The episode was never broadcast because he refused to sign the release, and sued the company for a serious amount of money. But the basic release form meant the company couldnt pass through the broadcast regulations.

In public there are a few restrictions but basically its public land like a street and not expected to be empty of people. You cant film wembley arch because its licenced to the FA rather than the local council.

Public place , no expectation of privacy. Same as most places.

We have CCTV everywhere so no matter what we're almost always getting recorded anyway. For a show though they should have had to sign a waiver otherwise they'd have to be blurred. Whether or not that was done legitimately for those that barely speak English? No idea.

Also I think if customs have any suspicions they have the right to search your bag. I don't think it's a case of whether you want them to or not. When you go through customs and you put your bags in the conveyor belt they're looking into your bags with xrays, and if the xray is inconclusive, they search your bag. They don't tell you about it. You're on the other side still waiting for your bags. It's only afterwards that they'll be like "hey, I just had to check your bag, was a false flag, it was just your beard scissors". Which happened to me just the other week actually.

If this is the show I think it is, I think it was very short lived and only lasted a season, maybe two. Australia had one that lasted longer though I believe but that focused more on packages going into the country and not just passengers. Mostly dealing with their eco-bio laws or whatever they're called.

In about 2014 we flew through an airport where some of these “customs” types shows was being recorded. They had signs up everywhere (I think in multiple languages) saying “episodes of _____ are being recorded here. If you do not wish to be recorded please talk to the crew” (or something like that).

But who knows what they’ve filmed for their cut-away shots, from the far said of the arrivals hall.

I guess you should expect shots of you walking to be ok. But probably have the right to opt out of having your “case” filled.

Absolutely, you are in a public place.

There has been several episodes of "border control UK" and similar where individuals are pixelated, so somehow there must be a way for them to refuse. Usually the footage is also >10 years old (check the clocks and calendars on display), there must be a statue of limitations concerning some of the stuff they are showing.

If you are in a public place, you can be filmed. Yes the police can and, in my opinion, should film every interaction they have with members of the public. Depends, they will either refuse you to fly/enter. or if they have evidence of illegal activity they may detain and/or hand you over to be arrested by police officers.

Reality tv shows aren't on every corner in the UK. I feel your risk is low.

I believe you can be filmed in public.

They will search your bags if that want to, whether you like it or not.

They can't broadcast your image without consent.

My friend is a photographer and they have to get people to sign a form before they can use any photos with people in.

You'll often see people with their faces blurred in these shows and that's why.

If the police have body cams you will be recorded but again they can't broadcast this.

As for searches:

Stop and question: police powers

A police officer might stop you and ask:

what your name is what you’re doing in the area where you’re going

You don’t have to stop or answer any questions. If you don’t and there’s no other reason to suspect you, then this alone can’t be used as a reason to search or arrest you.

Stop and search: police powers

A police officer has powers to stop and search you if they have ‘reasonable grounds’ to suspect you’re carrying:

illegal drugs a weapon stolen property something which could be used to commit a crime, such as a crowbar

You can only be stopped and searched without reasonable grounds if it has been approved by a senior police officer. This can happen if it is suspected that:

serious violence could take place you’re carrying a weapon or have used one you’re in a specific location or area