Channel 4 Commissions Meat the Family

Channel 4 has commissioned Meat the Family (working title), a docuseries from Spun Gold TV that sees participants live alongside the animals they eat.

The series asks how much people really know about what they put on their plates, as four meat-loving families share their homes with the animals they’d normally serve up. For three weeks they’ll learn all about the animals whilst living up close and personal with them. The families then decide if they’ll send the animals to slaughter or to a sanctuary.

This 3×60-minute commission draws on cutting-edge studies of animal behavior and intelligence, examines the farming practices required to meet the demands of hungry consumers and looks at the environmental impact of the meat industry. It will present surprising insights that challenge perceptions of why some animals become part of the family and others end up on the plate. At the end of three weeks, the families face a tough decision.

Daniela Neumann, managing director at Spun Gold, said: “In this series, we confront some really timely themes of ethical eating in a unique and entertaining fashion. Why do we find it acceptable to eat a lamb but we wouldn’t eat our pet dog? Could you go back to meat once you’ve put a name and face to a meal? This is a series that will combine amazing research about animal intelligence with some heart-warming moments.”

Nicola Brown, commissioning editor of specialist factual at Channel 4, added: “From environmental activism to vegan sausage rolls the debate around eating meat and animal welfare is more prominent than ever before. Confronting the reality of an animal’s journey from field to plate, Meat the Family will be a life-changing and emotional experiment for all involved.

Meat the Family (w/t) is a Spun Gold TV production, based on a format created by Rise Films. Red Arrow Studios is distributing the format internationally.