Episode 1
The first edition tells the story of our kitchen in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
Many British kitchens at the start of the 1950s were dull, cramped, mis-matched and relied heavily on one thing – elbow grease! We discover the kitchen was the place of hard graft in a decade when housewives spent an astonishing 57 hours a week on domestic work. Janet Ellis, Danny John-Jules and Jenny Eclair try to whisk egg whites using the rotary hand-whisk and discover it's very hard work.
It was all a far cry from the colourful, spacious and gadget-filled kitchens we glimpsed on new US TV shows like I Love Lucy and at the Ideal Home Exhibition - but change was coming…
The 1960s witnessed a kitchen revolution thanks to rising incomes, advancing technology and exciting new fashions. Bright colours and patterns appeared on our walls and space-age equipment like Teflon saucepans, electric toasters and automatic kettles made life a whole lot easier. Embodying this new age of labour-saving ease was the Kenwood Chef (invented by Mr Ken Wood) which claimed to do everything from stuffing sausages to peeling potatoes. Our celebrities find out if it really made things as easy as it claimed.
By the 1970s, our kitchens became brown, spice-racks appeared, and we fell in love Morecambe and Wise's iconic breakfast sketch. And as many of us now owned our homes, we were intent on showing them off to the neighbours. Innovations like the hostess trolley helped dinner parties go with a swing, while our famous faces get to grips with that terrifying invention: the electric carving knife. But new technology wasn't for everyone. We discover how some turned their back on this gadget-filled kitchen and instead took inspiration from Tom and Barbara in The Good Life.
By the end of the decade, as more women went out to work, the kitchen increasingly became a place of convenience. Gadget-makers were quick to take advantage, introducing the Breville snack ‘n' sandwich toaster, which our panel attempt to use without burning their mouths on molten cheese – easier said than done!
Trailer
Recently Updated Shows
America's Got Talent
With the talent search open to acts of all ages, America's Got Talent has brought the variety format back to the forefront of American culture by showcasing performers from across the country. The series is a true celebration of the American spirit, featuring a colorful array of singers, dancers, comedians, contortionists, impressionists, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists and hopeful stars, all vying for their chance to win America's hearts and the $1 million prize.
Love Island
U.S. version of the British show Love Island where a group of singles come to stay in a villa for a few weeks and have to couple up with one another – those who fail to find a partner to couple up with risk being dumped from the island. Islanders are on the lookout for romance, but the road to love doesn't always run smoothly. Challenges abound with new Islander arrivals and dramatic twists as friendships and relationships form. In addition to choosing their partners wisely, Islanders must also win the hearts of viewers who have the opportunity to shape events on screen and ultimately crown one lucky couple the winner, who will then have the chance to walk away with both love and the cash prize.
American Idol
American Idol is an American singing competition show, where contestants perform in front of a panel of star judges, representing the music industry. The winner is determined by viewers' vote.
Real Time with Bill Maher
Real Time with Bill Maher includes an opening monologue, roundtable discussions with panelists, and interviews with in-studio and satellite guests. Politico hailed Maher as "a pugnacious debater and a healthy corrective to the claptrap of cable news", while Variety noted, "There may not be a more eclectic guest list on all of television".
