Watch Blood, Sweat and Takeaways

Blood, Sweat and Takeaways is a six-part reality television series which originally aired on BBC One in 2008. The series follows six young British consumers, who fly out to various parts of the world where the products they take for granted and consume on a daily basis are produced. The show aims to explore the conditions in which these products are made, the human cost of their production, and the impact of Western consumerism on the developing world.

The first episode sees the group of six arrive in Thailand, where they visit a prawn factory. The factory workers they meet there work long hours and have very little free time, living in cramped conditions with little privacy or access to basic amenities. The show offers a glimpse of the reality of the conditions in which many factory workers in Thailand live and work, with some of the volunteers struggling to come to terms with what they witness.

The second episode takes us to the Philippines, where the group visit a factory that produces shoes for the UK high street. They learn about the long working hours and low wages paid to workers, many of whom are women. They spend time in the local community, meeting the families of the factory workers and learning about their living conditions.

In the third episode, the volunteers travel to Israel, where they spend time on a kibbutz learning about the agriculture industry. They work on a tomato plantation and pick bananas, gaining first-hand experience of the hard work and long hours involved in producing these products for the Western market.

The fourth episode sees the group visit India, where they work on a construction site and learn about the hard work and dangers involved in this industry. They meet some of the workers, many of whom have migrated from rural areas of India to find work, and learn about the effects of globalization on the Indian economy.

In the fifth episode, the volunteers travel to Kenya, where they work on a flower plantation. They learn about the impact of the flower industry on the local environment and the working conditions of the workers, many of whom are women.

The final episode takes us to China, where the group visit a factory that produces electronic goods for the UK market. They learn about the long hours and low wages paid to workers, and spend time in a migrant worker's village, where they gain an insight into the lives of those who have moved from rural areas to work in the city.

Throughout the series, the volunteers are pushed out of their comfort zones, both physically and emotionally, as they witness the reality of the conditions in which many products are produced. They often struggle to come to terms with what they see, but the show does not shy away from the harsh truths of the impact of Western consumerism on the developing world.

Overall, Blood, Sweat and Takeaways is a thought-provoking series that provides a fascinating insight into the human cost of the goods we consume on a daily basis. It confronts viewers with the uncomfortable truth of the conditions in which many products are produced, and encourages us to question our own behaviour as consumers.