Back in Time for... facts for kids

Back in Time for... is a fun British TV show. It was first shown on BBC Two in 2015. Each series takes a "typical" family or group of people. They get to live life as it was in past decades. Imagine your home changing to look like it's from the 1950s! The show explores how daily life, food, and work have changed over time.

Exploring Life in the Past

This TV series lets families travel through time without a real time machine! They experience what life was like in different decades. This includes the food people ate, how they spent their free time, and even how they worked.

Back in Time for Dinner

The very first series was called Back in Time for Dinner. It followed the Robshaw family. They tried foods and lived like a middle-class family from the 1950s to the 1990s. Their kitchen and living rooms were changed each week. This showed how people cooked and ate back then.

Christmas Specials

The Robshaw family also starred in Back in Time for Christmas. They tried Christmas foods from the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s. Then they moved on to the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. It was a festive trip through holiday history!

Back in Time for the Weekend

The second series, Back in Time for the Weekend, featured the Ashby Hawkins family. They lived through different decades, from the 1950s to the 1990s. This time, the focus was on how people spent their free time. They explored hobbies and fun activities from each era.

Back in Time for Brixton

A special two-episode series was called Back in Time for Brixton. It followed the Irwin family, a black British family. They explored 60 years of cultural and social changes. The show looked at how African-Caribbean immigration shaped British culture.

Further Back in Time for Dinner

The Robshaw family returned for Further Back in Time for Dinner. This series took them even further back in time. They started in 1900 and went all the way to 1949. It showed how life changed through two World Wars.

Back in Time for Tea

Back in Time for Tea focused on working-class families in Northern England. The Ellis family experienced life from after World War I to the 1990s. They explored food and daily life in these households.

Back in Time for the Factory

In Back in Time for the Factory, modern workers experienced factory life. They worked in a garment factory as it would have been in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Each episode focused on a specific year. It showed how work changed over time.

Back in Time for School

Back in Time for School followed students and teachers. They experienced school life from the 1890s to the 1990s. They learned about old lessons, rules, and how education changed. It was a real eye-opener for them.

Back in Time for the Corner Shop

The Ardern family ran a corner shop in Back in Time for the Corner Shop. They explored how these important local shops changed. They went from Victorian times to the modern day.

Back in Time for Birmingham

The newest series is Back in Time for Birmingham. It follows the Sharma family. They experience what life was like for South Asian families in the city. This series covers the 1950s onwards.

Where to Watch

The show first aired in the UK on BBC Two in March 2015. It has also been shown in other countries. For example, it premiered in Australia in September 2015.

Episode Highlights

Each series of Back in Time for... dives into a different part of history. Here are some highlights from the episodes:

Series One – Back in Time for Dinner

This series had six episodes. It was presented by Giles Coren and food historian Polly Russell. The Robshaw family, with parents Brandon and Rochelle and their three children, explored food history.

• The 1950s: The Robshaws started with food from the early 1950s. Rationing was still happening. They tried foods like dried eggs and liver.
• The 1960s: Their home got a new kitchen. They tried new foods like spaghetti bolognese and TV dinners. They even got their first fridge!
• The 1970s: Frozen and convenience foods became popular. The family learned about health food and tried milking a goat.
• The 1980s: Their kitchen was filled with gadgets like a microwave. They made fizzy drinks and cheese toasties. Fast-food chains also became popular.
• The 1990s: They enjoyed lots of new foods from around the world. But they also learned about the downsides of cheaper food.
• The Future: The Robshaws looked at what food might be like in the future. They thought about how people might shop and eat in the next 50 years.

Series Two – Back in Time for the Weekend

This series also had six episodes. Giles Coren and Polly Russell returned as presenters. The Ashby-Hawkins family explored leisure time.

• The 1950s: The family said goodbye to modern tech. They learned ballroom dancing and enjoyed outdoor activities.
• The 1960s: They had more money and fun. They went to the seaside and got a record player. They even got their own Mini car!
• The 1970s: They played darts and did home improvements. They also went roller skating and camping.
• The 1980s: TV and shopping became very important. They got a VCR and a home computer.
• The 1990s: New technology arrived quickly. They got a Game Boy and tried out the early internet. They also tried line dancing and went to the gym.
• The Future: The family thought about how technology might change their free time even more. But they realized that spending time together was most important.

Black and British Specials – Back in Time for Brixton

This special series had two episodes. The Irwin family experienced life for Caribbean immigrants in Britain.

• The 1940s, 1950s and 1960s: The family traveled through these decades. They learned about food, work, and fun for immigrants in Brixton. They even learned to play the steel pan.
• The 1970s, 1980s and 1990s: The Irwins bought their first house. They learned about important events like the Brixton Riots. They also experienced a 1980s party and the Notting Hill Carnival.

Series Three – Further Back in Time for Dinner

The Robshaw family returned for another six-episode series. They went back to the early 20th century.

• The 1900s: The family learned how food and eating habits shaped modern families.
• The 1910s: World War I changed everything. Food supplies ran low, and life became harder.
• The 1920s: The family enjoyed the "Roaring Twenties." They hosted a jazz party and tried new foods.
• The 1930s: They found new brands and snacks. They even got their first family car.
• The 1940s: This decade was all about war and rationing. They ate powdered egg and nettles on toast.
• The Present: The family looked back at their journey. They saw how old eating habits are still part of today's meals.

Series Four – Back in Time for Tea

This six-episode series featured the Ellis family from Bradford. Sara Cox and Polly Russell presented.

• The 1920s and 1930s: The Ellis family explored life for working families in Northern England. They learned about food, jobs, and fun from this time.
• The 1940s and 1950s: They lived without fridges or electric cookers. They tried regional foods like cow heel pie.
• The 1960s: The family enjoyed new freedoms. They had steak and chips and went on caravan holidays.
• The 1970s: They experienced power cuts and strikes. They got their first record player and car.
• The 1980s and 1990s: They got their first home telephone and toastie maker. They also explored the Manchester music scene.
• The Present: The Ellis family thought about their adventure. They saw how history still affects what people eat today.

Series Five – Back in Time for the Factory

This series had five episodes. Alex Jones presented it. It focused on factory workers in Wales.

• 1968: Modern workers experienced a 1960s garment factory. They found long, boring hours and low pay.
• 1973: They made bright orange flares. Business was booming, but a male worker's higher pay caused a stir.
• 1976: Laws for equal pay were in place. But the workers wondered if things had really changed in the factory.
• 1983: Women fought to keep their jobs. Factories struggled against cheap foreign goods.
• The Present: Former factory workers shared their real-life stories. They talked about bosses, sexism, and friendships.

Series Six – Back in Time for School

This series had eight episodes. It followed 15 students and three teachers. They explored school life from the 1890s to the 1990s.

• 1895-1914: They learned strange lessons like musket practice and duck herding.
• 1918-1939: Girls were taught mothercraft, and married female teachers were fired.
• 1945-1959: Students were educated for different paths. Grammar schools were for the "brightest."
• The 1960s: Students learned practical skills like bricklaying and typing. Job choices for girls were still limited.
• The 1970s: Comprehensive schools were introduced. But job choices for girls were still limited.
• The 1980s: They enjoyed new technology like basic computers. They were shocked that physical punishment in schools only ended then.
• The 1990s: They experienced girl power, Tamagotchis, and dial-up internet. They also met a Gladiator!
• The Present: The students and teachers had a reunion. They talked about their favorite memories and the future of education.

Series Seven – Back in Time for the Corner Shop

The Ardern family ran a corner shop in this six-episode series. Sara Cox and Polly Russell presented.

• Victorian: The Arderns started running a Victorian corner shop. They saw how life behind the counter changed.
• 20s, 30s, 40s: They continued their journey through these decades.
• 50s & 60s: The shop changed from serving customers to self-service.
• 1970s: Decimalisation arrived. The shop was visited by comedian Sanjeev Kohli.
• 80s & 90s: The shop started selling convenience food and National Lottery tickets.
• Future: The Arderns explored what shopkeeping might be like in the modern day.

Series Eight – Back in Time for Birmingham

This series covers the lives of British Asians from the 1950s onwards. It was broadcast in June 2022.

International Versions

The "Back in Time for..." idea has become popular around the world!

• Australia: An Australian version, hosted by Annabel Crabb, started in 2018. It featured the Ferrone family. A second season, Further Back in Time for Dinner, aired in 2020.
• Canada: A Canadian version, hosted by Carlo Rota, premiered in 2018. It followed the Campus family. Another Canadian show, Back in Time for Winter, started in 2020. It showed the Carlson family experiencing Canadian winters from the 1940s to the 1990s.