Alex Batty tells all in gripping BBC documentary about his six-year disappearance

"Do you know, it's funny, it was like they put a spell on me. It was like they made me say 'yes you can go'. I can't explain why I said yes." Yet on the day Alex was due to return home, Susan received a video from Alex's mother.

In the footage, Alex read from a script: "It upsets me to tell you the truth because I don't like hurting your feelings. I want to live with my mummy and grandad. It is one million times better. Stealing me from your daughter is soulless, it is not nice.

"If you are not selfish and want the best for me then please do not get anybody to look for us. Look into your heart and think what I want. Again, think what I want, not you want. Goodbye." All contact then ceased entirely.

In the documentary, Alex reflected on his period spent at campsites across France, where he lived with his mother and grandfather for nearly a year in 2022, five years into his disappearance. He explained: "We were always trying to be tight with money. I used to eat one meal a day. Just pasta and sauce on its own for lord knows how long. That's just how I used to eat.

"My mum would tell me constantly, 'you need to do spiritual work', 'you need to do inner work', but when I was 15, I started really thinking for myself. So, I'd try and find my own answers and when I did, if they differed in any way it would start a row. It was constant battles, constant arguments, constant yelling. So, she kicked me out of her campervan.

"I was living in a tent for a few months whilst my mum had this really nice warm campervan next to me. It was wintertime, raining, it was wet, it was cold all the time, and my mum was living in this campervan with heating, water and electric, and would rather me sleep outside in a tent."

The documentary uncovers several occasions where Alex could have been rescued. While speaking to campsite proprietors Angelique and Serena, Alex questioned why they had been permitted to remain without presenting valid identification.

Angelique explained: "His mum said they had lost them. And there were complications. They had to hide because they were in danger. I have a heart, so I accepted.

"Did you guys ever know who I was? My real name, my real identity?" Alex asked. "No, not at all, sorry. We would have called the police. Besides, I regret not doing it", Angelique responded. It is during this exchange that Alex discovers a call was made to French social services — a call that could have resulted in his rescue. The documentary reveals how Serena had witnessed Alex sleeping in a small tent throughout the bitter winter months.

"She decided to make you sleep outside in winter. It was very cold, in a small tent... from September to March approximately", Serena said. "And then she left you like that to punish you. And so, then I thought it was a bit of abuse.

"I thought she was really not a responsible mum. And so, I called social services, except they told me that you were a foreigner and as I did not have your true identity, they couldn't do anything." Alex later shared this bombshell with his grandmother during a phone call. The French social services bureau, France Enfance Protégée, informed the BBC they were unable to comment on Alex's particular case due to reasons of confidentiality.

Following a gruelling winter at the campsite, Alex, his mother and grandfather returned to staying with Ingrid and Fred, a couple who ran a B&B and had offered Alex and his grandfather free lodgings in exchange for work around the property.

Ingrid spoke to the BBC about the moment she realised Alex craved an education, saying: "I think there was a turning point. One time I was going to the shop without him, and he said 'oh please can you buy me a notebook with lines or squares...' And I said 'oh you want a notebook?'. He said 'yeah, I want a school notebook like you use at school.' He said: "I want to study online. I want to try to catch up. I want to be able to go back to school"I think there was a turning point. One time I was going to the shop without him, and he said 'oh please can you buy me a notebook with lines or squares...' And I said ;oh you want a notebook?'. He said 'yeah, I want a school notebook like you use at school.'

'He said: I want to study online. I want to try to catch up. I want to be able to go back to school'. That's how I got aware that actually he was not so happy about being in this remote life." Ingrid subsequently brought Alex to Ecole 42, a coding college in Perpignan.

Marie, a member of staff at Ecole 42, who was with Alex at the time, featured in the documentary and revealed that he provided them with a false name of Zach Edwards but he ultimately disclosed his real name.

"As soon as they left, I told my colleague, how weird was it that he gave us a false name. So, we first look up Zach Edwards. There was nothing.," Marie said, adding: "And then he typed Alex Batty, and then we saw all the articles with a photo of him from 10 years ago and for us it was the same person. We have to do something, because potentially he is in danger."

The director of the college alerted the police, who visited Ingrid and Fred's house, posing as officers searching for a missing car and spoke to Alex. Reflecting on this encounter, Alex said: "I was doing some cleaning, I was sweeping up and these two policemen came walking down and my heart's pounding because of that and it all started rushing in my head, like no way this is happening." Following a short exchange with Alex, the police departed. He explained: "I thought they'd come to take me away and honestly, I was nervous. I was relieved when they told me about a stolen car, but also, I was devastated. I could have said something there and then, but I didn't because protecting my mum and grandad, them not going to prison, was at the forefront of my mind."

The Police Nationale, Perpignan, were approached regarding the statements made in the programme and did not respond to the BBC's requests for a reply.

Casting his mind back to where things currently stand with his mother, Alex said: "My relationship with my mum is such a complicated thing. I'm annoyed at what she did.... the experiences I missed out on, my lack of education but speaking to all these people about my mum opened up my eyes to why she did what she did. This entire trip has reconnected me to my mum and grandad and made me want to build that bridge again.

"Hopefully one day I'll be able to get to the point where I can go and see them and have an enjoyable time rather than have my mum push things down my throat like she used to do."

Greater Manchester Police launched a criminal investigation into alleged child abduction following Alex's return to the UK but dropped this in 2025 saying that the family did not support it and that there was "no realistic chance of prosecution". Alex's mother Melanie Batty was given the opportunity to respond to the allegations featured in the programme but chose not to, while his grandfather David Batty was also approached for comment but failed to reply.

Since his return home in 2023, Alex has successfully obtained his Maths and English GCSEs and is currently seeking employment. In January 2026, Alex welcomed a baby girl into the world.

Kidnapped By My Mum is on BBC Three at 9pm and BBC One at 10.40pm on Wednesday, May 13. It will also be available to stream on BBC iPlayer