Channel Four is to screen a controversial ‘citizenship’ series in January called Make Bradford British.

The two-part documentary – being billed by the programme makers as “a radical social experiment” – will pose the question what it means to be British at a time of huge change in Britain’s racial make-up.

Channel Four chose Bradford because it says it is regarded as “one of the most segregated cities in Europe”.

More than 100 people across the city were asked to answer questions similar to those used in the UK Citizenship test for the series before some of them were asked to live in a house together Big Brother-style, then paired up and swap lives akin to another Channel Four show Wife Swap.

Out of the 100, more than 90 per cent failed the test and it was eight of those who were invited to feature in the documentary to show what happens when people who usually live segregated lives are brought together for the first time.

In the second episode, viewers will see how the house-sharing experience leads to life-changing encounters for the participants – the results of which, says Channel Four, are “eye-opening and revealing”.

The idea behind Make Bradford British was to use the citizenship test to explore if people of different racial, religious and cultural backgrounds can live happily together or be better off living apart.

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