Australian Story: Time After Time – Cheng Lei airs Monday 7 September 2026 at 8.00pm on ABC and ABC iview.
Journalist Cheng Lei returns to Australian Story after her release from a Chinese prison, reflecting on freedom, family and the long shadow of the three years taken from her life.
The episode arrives as Lei continues to rebuild publicly and privately. Her story remains one of the most high-profile Australian media cases of recent years, but Australian Story shifts the focus to what happens after the homecoming.
Cheng Lei On Australian Story
Lei was arrested in 2020 while working as a television anchor in China and was accused of espionage. She spent three years behind bars, separated from her two teenage children and cut off from regular contact with her family.
Since returning to Australia, Lei has spoken about the lasting impact of that imprisonment. In the episode, she says freedom has not been straightforward and describes the anguish of missing years when her children needed her most.
The program also looks at the pressure Lei has faced within parts of the Australian-Chinese community, where Chinese state propaganda has continued to shape how some people view her case.
Lei has responded by trying to live with urgency. She has written a book, taken up soccer and appeared in a play about her imprisonment, with friend Kylie Moore-Gilbert describing this period as a second shot at life.
Watch The Promo
When To Watch Australian Story
Australian Story: Time After Time – Cheng Lei airs Monday 7 September 2026 at 8.00pm on ABC. The episode will also be available on ABC iview.
For more ABC coverage, visit TV Central’s ABC section.
