The 1970s Holiday Premieres 7 May on Channel 5

Get ready to travel back in time to the 1970s, when Britain fell in love with package holidays and sangria. Channel 5’s new two-part series, “The 1970s Holiday“, premiering on 7 May, offers a fascinating glimpse into the travel revolution that changed the way Brits vacationed forever.

The series invites modern holidaymakers to step into a recreated high street travel agency and board an authentic 1970s plane, uncovering the secrets and stories of the era. From the deals that financed favourite resorts to the food options of the time, the show promises to reveal the hidden history of the mass travel revolution.

In the first episode, viewers will explore the rise of the package holiday and discover how British holidaymakers swapped their staycations for fun in the Mediterranean sun. Benidorm, with its booming construction and lucrative tour operator deals, takes centre stage as an example of the growing popularity of Spanish resorts.

The impact of this travel revolution extended beyond just holidays. It influenced everything from fashion to food choices, and even the way we spoke, with “siestas” and “pesetas” becoming part of our vocabulary. The series also delves into the world of holiday brochures and the rise of holiday programmes, such as “Holiday” hosted by Cliff Michelmore and “Judith Chalmers in the Greek Sunshine”.

Onboard the retro airplane, holidaymakers will experience the delights of the in-flight drinks trolley, complete with real glasses, and discover the safety demonstrations of the era. They’ll also learn about the once-common practice of smoking on board and explore the recreated 1970s travel agency, complete with genuine holiday brochures and the tactics used by tour operators to sell their holidays.

The experts on the show will discuss the glory days of airports, when dressing up in your Sunday best was the norm, security was minimal, and people even took day trips just to watch planes take off and land. The era celebrated air hostesses as queens of the skies, with uniforms designed by the legendary Sir Hardy Amies and makeup by Elizabeth Arden.

“The 1970s Holiday” promises to be a nostalgic journey, offering a unique perspective on the decade that started it all. It will air on Channel 5, starting Tuesday, 7th May, transporting viewers back to a time when foreign food was a challenge, funny money was a thing, and phrase books were indispensable for navigating the local lingo.