Meat the Family – C4

John, Dawn and family Meat the Family
(Image credit: Channel 4)

New C4 documentary series Meat the Family sees die-hard carnivores share their homes with farm animals in a bid to change their minds about meat-eating

Four meat-loving families undergo a potentially life-changing experiment in C4’s three-part series Meat the Family, which sees them sharing their homes with farm animals they would usually serve up for dinner.

After three weeks, the families must choose whether to send the animals to a sanctuary and give up meat, or send them to slaughter and see their new pets on their plates.

Committed carnivores John and Dawn (pictured above) host weekly ‘meat feasts’ for the whole family.

Will their eating habits change when two young Saddleback pigs move into their garden?

Cynthia and Sam Meat the Family

Sam, Cynthia and their daughters welcome some chickens into their home in Meat the Family on C4

Meanwhile, Sam and Cynthia welcome three broiler chickens into their home, and their three daughters quickly form bonds with their new feathered friends.

‘It’s going to be tough because I enjoy my meat,’ says Sam.

‘Whether or not a bond with the animal will make a difference, I don’t know.

‘But it’ll be interesting to find out.’

An expert is on call to help the family with their featured friends, who are renamed Jennifer, Hayley and Clucky.

‘My attitude towards meat in general is ignorance is bliss,’ says Cynthia.

‘So we’ll see if learning more about it will change how much meat we consume.’

After this at 9pm, writer George Monbiot looks at the impact that farming animals for meat has had on the planet in documentary Apocalypse Cow: How Meat Killed the Planet.  

For full listings, see our TV Guide.

TV Times rating: ****