Families wanted to live in 19th century Snowdonia

BBC Cymru Wales will be transporting two modern day families back to 1890 for a brand new television series – Snowdonia Farmhouse - and the search is now on to find people to take part in this unique interactive project.

The series, to be filmed and broadcast in 2010, will take two Welsh families and immerse them in 19th century life. Living in neighbouring farm cottages in Snowdonia, the families will face a daily battle for survival. The women will labour the land, tend the livestock and run the family home while the men will work in the nearby slate mines. Their trials and tribulations will mirror the challenges faced by their forefathers over 100 years ago.

Clare Hudson, BBC Wales Head of English Language Programmes says:

“Snowdonia Farmhouse will offer a dramatic context for the collision of social history and real life drama and it promises to be both entertaining and informative television.

“We look forward to transporting the viewers, along with the families, back to a fascinating period in north Wales’s history.”

Indus Television, the production company behind the successful and ground breaking Coal House series, is looking forward to hearing from potential applicants.

“We want to hear from families across Wales who think they can survive life in a Victorian hillside cottage,” says Ceri Rowlands, Series Producer.

“It will be physically and mentally challenging for them as they will have to learn to farm the land using 19th century farming techniques and manage the house without the modern luxuries they’re so accustomed to. The community was a tight-knit one and families were interdependent so they will have to work closely with their neighbour freely sharing food, skills and tools.”

Filming will take place during March/April next year but the recruitment of families starts now.

If you think you and your family are up to the challenge call 03703 500 700* or log on to bbc.co.uk/wales to request an application form. The closing date for applications is Friday 27 November and shortlisted applicants will be notified by Friday 4 December.

*0370 calls cost no more than 01and 02 geographic landline numbers and are included in discount packages for both fixed-line and mobile phones. Calls may be recorded for monitoring and training purposes.