On Friday we revealed that the BBC had commissioned an Edwardian follow-up to its phenomenally successful series, Victorian Farm.
Fans of the original, though, now have the chance to try their own hand at living the life of a Victorian farmer. Lion TV, the team behind the BBC2 six-parter, is on the look-out for members of the public to spend a week on the Acton Scott Estate living the rural life of the late-1800s as depicted by Ruth, Peter and Alex in the six part documentary in their new daytime show, Escape in Time.
Blagger caught up with the producers to find out what it’s all about.
Shropshire Star headline
As far as BBC2 is concerned, Victorian Farm was one of 2009′s biggest hits. Ambitiously scheduled opposite Big Brother, it beat its Channel 4 rival on its very first outing, steadily building a following over the six-week run to achieve four million viewers for the final instalment. It spawned a DVD release and a spin-off book that featured farm more than it was ever possible to fit in the series. Almost inevitably it went straight to number one in the Sunday Times bestseller list.
It will surprise nobody that several follow-ups are in the works.
‘Think The Generation Game meets The Good Life,’ says producer Lion TV as it reveals details of a new variation for daytime TV. ‘Escape in Time will give everyday families an opportunity to live on the original Victorian Farm Estate for a week, rediscovering the practical skills and self-sufficiency that our grandparents had, but which we have lost, whilst competing against each other mastering tasks and crafts from the Victorian age.’
And if you think that the term ‘families’ rules you out just because you don’t have kids, think again: they’re not just looking for mum, dad, dog and two nippers. Applications from couples without children are equally welcome. As are uncles, aunts and grandparents.
Anyone who saw the original documentary series will know how tough live was in Victorian Britain, and Escape in Time won’t be cutting participants any slack.
‘There is no age limit, but it is worth considering that some of the tasks will be practical in nature and working on the farm can be arduous work,’ the producers insist. ‘We are looking for people who are enthusiastic about the idea of going back to basics and learning new skills; people who are passionate about exploring the Victorian farming lifestyle and who will relish the opportunity to learn about being self-sufficient.’
Sound daunting? So it should, but nobody will be dropped in at the deep end and left to sink or swim without a helping hand. Peter, Ruth and Alex will be busy elsewhere, filming the 12-part series Edwardian Farm, but many of the experts who featured on the first series of Victorian Farm will be on hand to advise and help out.
The tasks will be a mixture of domestic chores, cookery, livestock related, farming, traditional crafts and also some suitable for children. Many of the skills learned are practiced today by only a handful of people, so there is an opportunity to reclaim the forgotten skills of the past, before they die out completely.
How do I take part?
Filming will take place in September of this year, and anyone available and interested in appearing on the show should get in touch with Lion TV directly by sending an email to escape@liontv.co.uk, detailing a phone number on which they can be reached to provide further information.
This is a unique opportunity to learn about Victorian life: a time when self-sufficiency was less of a fad and more of a means of survival.
And if, having seen Victorian Farm first time around you’ve been put off by the stomach-curdling food the farmers found themselves eating, then don’t worry. There will be an opportunity for participants to try their hand at creating and eating traditional Victorian food but, as the producers assured us, ‘hopefully it will be a fun experience and nothing too gruesome’.
The skinny
- Filming takes place in September 2009
- Families of all sizes are welcome to apply
- Children should be over eight years of age
- Apply by sending a contact phone number to escape@liontv.co.uk
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