Overview

The Great Escape is an Irish television series broadcast on RTÉ One each Tuesday night at 22:15. It follows Irish families who leave Ireland to travel across the world in search of a better life. Two series have thus far been produced, with each series documenting four families who leave Ireland in search of a better life. The series details how they cope in their new surroundings, without any support from friends or family as they set up businesses, develop new careers, meet new friends and overcome cultural differences. Produced by Coco Television, it has thus far featured Irish families who have relocated to such countries as France, South Africa, Spain, Australia, Austria and Italy. The second series in 2009 was part of a group of programmes dealing with the topic of emigration. Others included J1 - Summer in the Sun, Death or Canada, Blood of the Irish and Who Do You Think You Are?.