Denmark’s public broadcaster DR has commissioned Snowman Productions, a Red Arrow Studios company, to produce a local version of new social experiment format “Meat the Family”. Titled “Maden flytter ind” (The Food Moves In), the show premieres on DR1 on November 12, 2020.
“Meat the Family” is a compelling new social experiment that asks how much do we really know about the animals we put on our plates by inviting meat-loving families to share their homes with the animals they’d normally serve up for dinner. Three weeks later, the families must decide whether to give up meat and send their animals to a sanctuary, or have them slaughtered and eat their former houseguests.
"The increased interest in animal welfare and the environmental consequences of our meat production industries is the focus of this entertaining format. In a surprising and informative way, the format explores the pros and cons of producing and eating meat the way we do it now. The emotional choice each family faces, of whether to eat or save their animal roommates, will no doubt spark a relevant debate in the many family homes of Denmark," said Anne Garlichs, Programme Director at DR.
Mette Nissen, Head of Programming at Snowman, added: "The debate about animal welfare and eating meat continues to rage everywhere, including Denmark. ‘Meat the Family’ brilliantly explores this by making it feel relevant, inspiring and entertaining – and without any judgement. We’ve found four wonderful, brave families to take on the challenge, and can’t wait for the show to premiere on DR".
Originally produced by Spun Gold TV based on a format by Rise Films, “Meat the Family” aired on Channel 4 in 2019 provoking significant UK and global media attention, with The Guardian calling the show "fascinating" and "packaging a quiet ethical consumption message up in the cosy familiarity of primetime TV".
The format is distributed worldwide by Red Arrow Studios International, and launched at Mipcom 2019, with influential formats analyst Virginia Mouseler of The Wit hailing it as "the most transgressive show of the year". The format has sold to territories including Germany, France and the Netherlands.