Media Release

For immediate use September 21, 2004

Viva! urges Channel 5 to pull sick show

Campaigning animal group Viva! has slammed Channel 5’s new reality show, The Farm, as grossly irresponsible by potentially putting animals at risk. They have also accused the show of giving a false view of meat production as the farm they have chosen is unrepresentative of livestock farming in the UK.

Nicknamed Pig Brother, the show is produced by Endemol and will feature minor celebrities attempting to run a farm in Wiltshire.  It is due to begin its three week broadcast on September 26.  An additional five participants will join David Beckham's former PA, Rebecca Loos, magician Paul Daniels, his wife Debbie McGee and former model Sophie Anderton.

Around one billion animals are slaughtered for food in the UK each year, the majority of which are reared in overcrowded, squalid factory farms. The Farm, however, is based at East Hill View Farm, owned by Richard Guy, co-founder of The Real Meat Company, in Heytesbury, Wiltshire.  Animals are all free range and experience probably the best animal welfare standards in the country.

“We spend a great deal of our time at Viva! secretly going into farms and filming what we see,” says Juliet Gellatley, international director of Viva!. “We never have to look far to find acute distress, disease, neglect and suffering – and this is at the hands of so-called professionals.  Injecting complete novices into this kind of scenario, in the hope of raising a few laughs and a good deal of profit, might be good for Endemol but it is not likely to be good for the animals”.

Viva! patron Jerome Flynn (Soldier Soldier, Robson & Jerome and currently touring with the show Jus’ Like That, in which he plays Tommy Cooper), added: “The farm chosen is, of course, far from typical as most animals are reared in the squalid conditions of intensive factory units. Now there’s a thought – let Endemol show this - and perhaps the slaughterhouses where all animals end their days – and they’ll be doing the public a service. It might not do their viewing figures much good but it will dramatically increase the number of vegetarians.”

When Pig Brother was aired in France, the producers Endemol were sued after animals died or were injured on set. Fears have been raised for animal welfare on the British show after the admission from Endemol that participants would be expected to dehorn calves, a process which causes considerable pain.

Contact Justin Kerswell, Viva!’s campaigner, on 0117 944 1000

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