The Simpler Life - Season 1

In the first edition, the volunteers are touched by the beauty of Devon's landscape and the satisfaction of honest physical toil. But the limited selection of food proves frustrating for some.

Former footballers' PA Penny continues to find Amish frugality extremely testing, and to make matters worse, everyone's workload has increased. With numbers dwindling, there is increased pressure on the volunteers who remain. Not only do they have a farm to run, they also have a barn to build. Special needs teacher Hazel believes the volunteers' mood and quality of life would be dramatically improved with the occasional beer. The only problem is, it's not very Amish.

The time comes for the volunteers to interact with the outside world without losing their commitment to the ways of the Amish. They venture into the local market town to sell some of their extra produce, but the trip is not the commercial triumph they had envisaged. However, social media content creator Victoria and IT manager Fran do end up with some money in their pockets, and the sight of local shops stirs unexpected temptation. A new herd of pigs are a welcome addition to the farm, but a contraband borrowed radio divides the group and threatens to derail the new community.

As the harvest begins, the remaining volunteers are feeling the benefits of their new life, away from their jobs, mobile phones and computer screens. For special educational needs manager Hazel, a simpler life is not all that easy. However hard she tries, she just cannot churn butter and when she asks for community money to go to the village shop to buy some, it escalates into a crisis. But the biggest shock for the community is still to come when their Amish host family make an unexpected and emotional announcement.

The volunteers struggle to carry on without their Amish guides, whose shock departure highlights the cracks within the community. With 40 acres and 25 livestock to manage, each member has a different view on getting the work done, but as frictions mount over the alcohol and household chores, a shock discovery threatens the biggest crop of the season - potato blight. With only weeks until the experiment ends, will this new crisis be the making of them or the undoing?

Four months since the volunteers embarked on their experiment they celebrate their most bountiful harvest with a feast. Friends and family have been invited and the community members busy themselves with preparations. IT project manager Fran ensures the event runs smoothly, while GP surgery receptionist Jamie says an emotional goodbye to one of his beloved pigs. The statisticians also discover how the process has changed those taking part to ask whether people be happier without the noise and clutter of the busy 21st century.