KIDS IN THE WILD: NEW SOCIAL EXPERIMENT FOR CHANNEL 4

Channel 4 have commissioned a brand new reality series from Love Productions and Motion Content Group which will transport a group of school children to the countryside for an "old-fashioned summer".

The six-part series, currently titled Kids In The Wild, will feature a diverse cast of 9-11 year olds for a "back to an idyllic old-fashioned summer and the carefree abandon of swallows and amazons, away from their parents to the… first time."

The programme aims to explore the children’s "mental and physical reactions to life in the wild, as well as their social structures and interactions, as they learn how to cook and eat in a camp and sleep in shared bunks with children they know not."

All participants will be offered comprehensive adult care and access to camp counsellors. Trained escorts will ensure their safety and their parents will be on hand, watching them from cameras.

Halfway through the shoot, the children will be offered a small break to spend with their families.

Sara Ramsden, executive producer at Love Productions, said: “New and growing evidence suggests that experiencing adventurous play is effective at reducing childhood anxiety. As this series will take kids off their screens, we hope it will shed light on the ongoing debate about the impact of phones and social media on children.”

Channel 4's Madonna Benjamin: “’Kids in the Wild’ celebrates childhood by giving children the opportunity to experience a summer of fun, adventure and new discoveries...

"It examines how this generation has been deprived of so much freedom and an opportunity for social cohesion that it missed. We hope audiences get a privileged glimpse of just how adaptable and imaginative our children can be.”

Martin Oxley, Executive Producer, Motion Content Group, said: “At the heart of ‘Kids in the Wild’ is a fascinating and timely exploration of the impact modern life is having on children today, giving them the freedom to be in a idyllic setting to see if this is the

case. You can be relieved of the fears and pressures that worry parents so much.”

Filming will take place this Summer. The children will spend 14 days in a specially set up wilderness camp as part of the programme.