Channel 4 commissions Holiday Hijack

Channel 4 has commissioned brand new series Holiday Hijack, which will see Brits being plucked from the comfort of their all inclusive luxury holidays to explore "real life" and hidden gems of their holiday destinations - but also the environmental and social cost of their holiday choices.

Produced by Betty TV, the 6 x 60 minute series will follow families who normally opt for luxury all-inclusive trips and rarely leave their holiday resorts, being ‘hijacked' by a local family to live and work with them for an authentic glance at life away from the glitzy holiday brochures.

Living cheek by jowl with the local family in often challenging conditions - sleeping in hammocks, enduring basic sanitation, with no hot water, sharing living space with life stock - how do the luxury-loving holidaymakers cope?

In addition to sampling the local food, countryside and real hospitality for the first time, the Brits will be put to work in the jobs that service the tourist industry. And in a final twist of the format, the holiday makers will have to choose either to stay with their local host family or return to the luxury of their hotel for the last night of their holiday.

The six locations featured are The Gambia, the Maldives, Mexico, Kenya, Jamaica and a return visit show in the UK.

Holiday Hijack will be made by executive producer Walter Izzolino and series producers Neil Smith and Anoushka Roberts and will feature countries including the Gambia, the Maldives, Mexico, Kenya and Jamaica.

Channel 4 Factual Entertainment Dominique Walker, said: "The series reveals the reality behind every holiday decision we make but also inspires all of us to get our backsides off the sun lounger and outside to experience the hidden gems in each destination."

Betty Creative Director, Walter Iuzzolino, said: "This is a brand new travel series which forces tourists to get closer to the people and the country they are visiting - with illuminating results. The British families forge close relationships with the host families with often rewarding results that will make us all question how we travel. It feels like a very modern holiday show."