Martha Stewart’s Former Inmates Recall How She ‘Smuggled Food’ to Bake for Them in New Docuseries (Exclusive)

Martha Stewart stayed true to her craft during her time in federal prison.

New CNN miniseries, The Many Lives of Martha Stewart, explores all the ups and downs of the media mogul’s life. PEOPLE has an exclusive clip (above) of Sunday’s final episode, which features Stewart’s former inmates talking about their relationship with her during her five-month sentence in 2004. (Stewart was found guilty of charges including conspiracy and obstruction of justice related to the stock sale. )

In the documentary series, Meg Phipps, a woman who was incarcerated at the same Alderson federal prison in West Virginia, recounted the time Stewart delivered a sweet dessert to her in prison.

“We communicated by message, handwritten message and someone from that hut or dorm, you had to wait for someone to receive it for you,” she explained. One day, she received a text from Stewart, who suggested that the two meet.

Martha Stewart and prisoners Meg Phipps and Susan Spry.

CNN

Martha Stewart’s fellow inmates and chefs talk about her rise, fall and comeback in new CNN miniseries (Exclusive)

“She also sent that message with a baked apple, which meant she had already dealt with the idea of ​​cooking in your home or cabin using a microwave and what resources you could find — because the baked apple had caramel and probably some cinnamon,” Phipps said.

Bringing in food was prohibited, according to Phipps. “I guess some of this could have come from the cafeteria, which we shouldn’t do,” Phipps added.

Another ex-prisoner, Susan Spry, who describes herself as a “prison friend” of the cookbook’s author, said it was really the only way to cook.

“Everyone smuggles food from the kitchens. I mean, what else are you going to do? Unless it’s smuggled food,” Spry said, adding that she herself smuggled some under her arms.

Martha Stewart’s ex-prisoner, Meg Phipps.

CNN

During her time in prison, Spry said Stewart worked inside the administration building. “She kept it clean. She cleaned the toilets. She was cleaning the manager’s toilet,” she said.

During the last episode, Elizabeth Walker, a former supervising chaplain at Alderson, said she also swept the floors and emptied the trash. “She was very good. She did her job,” Walker said.

Of all her memories of Stewart, Walker remembered her speech during the Christmas decorating contest.

Why did Martha Stewart go to prison? A look back at her 2004 fraud case

“[Stewart] read something she wrote about what peace is…and her hands are shaking, and I thought, ‘This is a woman who had her own television show.’ She wanted to do a good job for the women she was with…that impressed me,” she said.

Spry recalled her first sight of the TV chef when she first entered prison and how “forsaken” she looked.

“I remember the first picture I had of her and I said, ‘That can’t be Martha Stewart. It simply cannot be.’ Whoever this woman was, she looked like us,” Spry said. “You still have to go through all the humiliations to become a prisoner. I’m sure they searched her to the core. Took away all her property. I gave her a uniform like the rest of us had.”

Her other former inmate, Phipps, echoed that statement. “It’s a great equalizer. There are a wide range of women there, from the homeless to the rich,” she said.

The day Stewart got out of jail, Phipps said they had a snack for her. No surprise, Stewart made a farewell dessert.

Martha Stewart’s Ex-Con, Susan Spry.

CNN

“We brought different dishes, but Martha brought a caramel brownie and I don’t know how she made it,” Phipps said. “A big part of what made prison bearable was cooking together and celebrating someone’s going home. She thanked the people for making her time there go well.”

Spry also appreciates her kind words — and all these years later, he’s looking forward to a reunion.

“She said ‘I don’t think I’ve had enough time with you girls’ and she said ‘I’ll see you again.’ So I’m still waiting, but I know I’ll see her again,” she recalled through tears.

In addition to detailing Stewart’s time in prison, the four hour-long episodes chronicle the author’s “explosive rise to success, her stunning fall from grace and her momentous return to the spotlight” through archival footage and interviews, according to the release. Viewers hear from Stewart’s former employees, ex-prisoners, fellow chefs and loved ones.

The first two episodes The Many Lives of Martha Stewart are now on demand and will be repeated on Saturday, February 3rd at 9:00 PM ET/PT on CNN. The final two episodes will premiere on Sunday, February 4 at 9:00 PM ET/PT.

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Source: HIS Education