Jamie Oliver's shocking new show

Jamie Oliver's new show reveals the disturbing truth behind the poultry industry

Jamie Oliver will be seen electrocuting and draining the blood from chickens and suffocating chicks, in front a live studio audience for his latest TV special.

Jamie's Fowl Dinners will be broadcast this Friday on Channel 4, and sets out to reveal the shocking truth behind the poultry industry, to encourage viewers to avoid buying battery-reared hens.

The programme follows the life cycle of a battery-farmed chicken, starting with the cramped conditions of the cages, and ending with their unpleasant deaths. In the course of the programme he shows male chicks, deemed superfluous as they do not produce eggs, being suffocated in an oxygen free box. He also electrocutes a chicken himself, and then drains its blood.

The chef carried out his demonstrations in front of an audience that included executives from the British supermarkets, in an attempt to persuade shops to pay more for organically and ethically reared chickens. Her revealed that supermarkets can pay as little as 3p for a chicken.

Oliver divulged he invited Asda, Tesco, Morrisons and Sainsburys to send representatives to take part in a debate for the show, although all four failed to send anyone.

He has since spoken out of his disappointment at this, particuarly towards Sainsbury's, as he stars in their advertising campaign.

He commented: 'What is there to hide? It is shocking that the people I work for didn't turn up on the day. I don't know why.'