BBC Two to send people back to live in Victorian slums

BBC Two is taking East London back to the Victorian era for its new show The Slum.



Families will experience what life in the capital was like back in the 1860s as part of the living history series.

Over the course of three weeks, participants will be expected to eke out a living in difficult conditions.

Whether it's via tailoring, candle-making, wood-turning or flower selling, they must make enough to provide food and shelter for their families.

Kim Shillinglaw, Controller BBC Two and BBC Four, said: "From Back in Time for Dinner to Victorian Bakers, BBC Two viewers love a history series that is both entertaining and illuminating.

"At a time when questions about poverty and welfare provision still preoccupy us today, this ambitious series will bring us face to face with the shocking truth of just how little money many of our great-grandparents lived on, reveal the entrepreneurial spirit and resilience required to survive in The Slum, and raise provocative questions about what kind of safety net the poorest should have."

Five episodes of The Slum will air on BBC Two later this year.