Back in Time for Tea

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The Ellis family see what life was like for working class families over the past 100 years

The Ellis family travel back in time to discover how changing food in the north of England reveals what life was like for working class families over the past 100 years.

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Sara Cox

Polly Russell

Emily Shields

Christina Nutter

Wall to Wall Media

Back in Time for Tea: Series 1: Episode 5

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Episode 5

Series 1

BBC Two - Back in Time for Tea, Series 1, Episode 5

The Ellis’ experience the chintz of the 80s and swagger of the 90s in the final stages.

The Ellis’ experience the chintz of the 80s and swagger of the 90s as they see out the end of the century. From burgers to BMX’s this era is one filled with change, chance and char

The Ellis family from Bradford – are embarking on an extraordinary time travelling adventure to discover how a transformation in the food eaten in the North of England can reveal how life has changed for Northern working class families over the past 100 years.

The family’s own home is their time machine, transporting them through a different era each week - from the sparse furnishings and meagre provisions of 1918 to the modern home comforts and bulging freezer of 1999. Guided through their time travel by Bolton born presenter Sara Cox and social historian Polly Russell, everything the family of five experience – from the jobs they do to the food they eat, will be based on historical data and spending surveys of the era. The Ellis’ will live through a time of dramatic change in the industrial North – experiencing everything from the mill to the mine, the Beatles to Thatcher and bland potato pie to the spicy delights of the curry capital of the UK. 

The Ellis’s 80’s home is a homage to chintz and magnolia with the exciting addition of some new technology: their first telephone, a chest freezer and that 80s kitchen essential - a Breville toastie maker! Whilst traditional food still takes precedence at home, 1983 sees a revolution in eating out for the family who enjoy a feast with top chef Marcus Wareing at a chain which launched that year – Harvester. The continuing influence of food from across the Atlantic means the girls get a job flipping burgers at Wimpy, while the boys pick up tea at a drive-thru fish and chip shop. 

With Margaret Thatcher in power, the North experiences turbulent times. The family support dad Jon as he goes on strike from his job down the mine, and their bare kitchen cupboards are supplemented with a surprising Soviet food parcel. High unemployment across the region sees a widening of the North South divide, although new government policies give enterprising Northerners the chance to start their own business. Jon and Lesley get a jacket potato van, and soon realise that owning your own business means working come rain or shine. 

But it’s not all work work work. With an outing to the dog races, BMX riding and Bullseye on the telly, there’s still plenty of time for fun.  

By the 90s the North is back on the map as the Manchester music scene captures the nation and everyone wants a slice of Northern cool. The girls dance the night away with Manchester’s very own Sean Ryder and experience the boom of late-night kebab shops whilst indulging in a chip naan. 

To celebrate the end of their time-travel journey, the family gather their nearest and dearest for a Millennium party. With a beer in hand, black peas in their bellies and a firework display, the Ellis’s are ready to party like it’s 1999!

Back in Time for Tea: Series 1

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