You could escape hectic city life as part of a new BBC TV show - here's how to apply

The application form asks contestants to outline what's been holding them back from making the move (Photo: BBC Studios)The application form asks contestants to outline what's been holding them back from making the move (Photo: BBC Studios)
The application form asks contestants to outline what's been holding them back from making the move (Photo: BBC Studios)

Been thinking of ditching the rat race for a quiet cottage by the sea, or selling up your flat for a countryside escape out in the sticks?

A new BBC TV show, titled The Simple Life, is looking for contestants who have been seriously considering swapping their fast-paced, frantic life in the city for a simpler lifestyle in the countryside or by the coast.

What is the show about?

From the same producers who brought audiences Wanted Down Under, Wanted: The Simple Life will see a "diverse mix" of couples, families and others given the chance to experience a slice of what their new life could look like by the coast or out in the rural countryside.

At the end of the experience, contestants will decide whether they really want to give it all up for the quiet life, or whether living out in the sticks is more complicated than they had originally thought.

“An increasing number of people are leaving behind the stresses of the city for a new life in the country or by the coast,” says Executive Producer Paul Connolly.

“But what they don’t always consider are the potential challenges this presents like what work can I do there? Am I willing to give up the convenience of urban living? Is my other half as keen on the move as I am? How will the kids find such a big change?

"This series will give them an opportunity to explore both the pros and the cons of the move before they make such a life-changing decision.”

Who are they looking for?

The show's call-out for contestants says that participants will be given "help and guidance" with their decision to make the move, whether they're looking to start "a whole new career, to start a new business or just to escape the ever-crowded rat race and take up life as a farmer, fisherman or foodie."

Main applicants (parents) must be aged 18 or over to participate, and filming will take place over four to five days from September 2020 to November 2020 - meaning you'll have to take a week off work.

Producers warn that the show will not be akin to a "free holiday", saying that filming can be "an intense experience involving long and tiring days."

As such, the show says they are looking for applicants who are "flexible, committed, and open to the requirements of the process."

How to apply

To apply, you'll have to complete an application form  which can be downloaded on the BBC's website. Producers say they want applicants to be "lively and enthusiastic people who are able to be themselves on camera and willing to share some of their lives with us, during what can often by sensitive and significant moments."

They encourage applicants to try to communicate their unique personality in the form, telling them who you are, why you want to move out to the country and what the main issues are that have held you back.

You can find out more about the show, and apply, by following this link. The closing date for applications is 18 September 2020.

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