Digging for Britain
Digging for Britain | |
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![]() Title card | |
Genre | Documentary |
Presented by | Alice Roberts |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 11 |
No. of episodes | 51 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Running time | 59 minutes |
Production companies | Rare TV (formerly known as 360 Production (series 1-7)[1]) for BBC (in association with Northern Ireland Screen) |
Original release | |
Network | BBC Two |
Release | 19 August 2010 present | –
Digging For Britain is a British television series focused on last and current year archaeology. The series is made by 360 Production (now Rare TV) for the BBC and is presented by Alice Roberts.[2][3] It was first aired in August 2010.
The series focuses on archaeological excavations and research in the United Kingdom, both at new sites and those already well known to science. Filming has taken place in many parts of the country.
Its 11th series, containing six episodes, was broadcast in January 2024.[4]
Production
[edit]The first series consisted of four episodes, initially broadcast on BBC Two in August and September 2010. A second series of four episodes was broadcast in September 2011. Each episodes of first two series had covered archaeology of specific period. The programme returned as a series of three episodes on BBC Four in February 2015, covering the previous summer's investigations in specific geographical region of the United Kingdom in each episode. Each episode of this series was hosted in a regional museum. The same format as in series 3 was adopted for series 4 and 5, which first aired in March and December 2016, respectively. There was also a programme Digging for Ireland linked to the series[5] which had the same format and presenters as series 5; it was broadcast in February 2015. A sixth series of the programme began airing in November 2017, returning to the four-episode format (covering three geographical regions plus one special theme). This structure was retained for series 7 and 8, which aired in November 2018 and 2019 respectively. Four episodes titled The Greatest Discoveries aired in 2020. It returned for its 9th series in January 2022.[6]
Since series 3, with exception of series 5, the programme was co-presented in various forms. Some presenters are former members of the Time Team crew (as is Roberts). The series 3 and 4 by archaeologist Matt Williams (who also presented some Time Team episodes). (Roberts and Williams also presented Digging for Ireland.) Raksha Dave (archaeologist in Time Team) series 7.[7] The archaeologist and academic Naoíse Mac Sweeney was a presenter in series 8.[8] Series 9 features historian Onyeka Nubia and archaeologists Cat Jarman and Stuart Prior in some episodes as presenters.[9]
The song Coins for the Eyes was written for series 9 by Johnny Flynn and Robert Macfarlane.[10]
Series overview
[edit]Series | Episodes | Originally aired | UK viewers (millions) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | ||||
1 | 4 | 19 August 2010 | 10 September 2010 | 2.51 | |
2 | 4 | 9 September 2011 | 30 September 2011 | — | |
3 | 4[a] | 3 February 2015 | 23 February 2015 | — | |
4 | 3 | 10 March 2016 | 24 March 2016 | — | |
5 | 3 | 6 December 2016 | 20 December 2016 | — | |
6 | 4 | 22 November 2017 | 13 December 2017 | — | |
7 | 4 | 28 November 2018 | 19 December 2018 | — | |
8 | 4 | 20 November 2019 | 11 December 2019 | — | |
Special | 4 | 17 March 2020 | 7 April 2020 | — | |
9 | 6 | 4 January 2022 | 13 January 2022 | — | |
10 | 6 | 1 January 2023 | 12 February 2023 | — | |
11 | 6 | 2 January 2024 | 11 January 2024 | — |
Episodes
[edit]Series 1 (2010)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "The Romans" | John Hayes-Fisher | John Hayes-Fisher | Not listed | 19 August 2010 | 2.75 | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "Prehistory" | Serena Davies | Serena Davies | Not listed | 26 August 2010 | 2.34 | |
Sites and archaeology featured: | |||||||
3 | "Anglo-Saxons" | Sarah Jobling | Sarah Jobling | Not listed | 2 September 2010 | 2.45 | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
4 | "The Tudors" | James Gray | James Gray | Not listed | 10 September 2010 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Series 2 (2011)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Britannia" | Tim Robinson | Tim Robinson | Not listed | 9 September 2011 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
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2 | "Invaders" | Sarah Jobling | Sarah Jobling | Not listed | 16 September 2011 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "Age of Bronze and Iron" | Emma Parkins | Emma Parkins | Not listed | 23 September 2011 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
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4 | "Ice and Stone" | James Gray | James Gray | Not listed | 30 September 2011 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Series 3 (2015)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "East" | Edward Hart[b] | Alex Rowson | Catherine Ross, Sarah Jobling | 3 February 2015 | N/A | |
Hosted at Norwich Castle Museum Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "West" | Edward Hart[b] | Bernadette Ross | Catherine Ross, Sarah Jobling | 10 February 2015 | N/A | |
Hosted at Dorset County Museum Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "North" | Edward Hart[b] | Denis Minihan, Chris Nikkel | Catherine Ross | 17 February 2015 | N/A | |
Hosted at National Museum of Scotland Sites and archeology featured:
| |||||||
1[c] | "Digging For Ireland" | Edward Hart[b] | Chris Nikkel | Catherine Ross | 23 February 2015 | N/A | |
Hosted at Ulster Museum Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Series 4 (2016)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "West" | Edward Hart | Gemma Hagen, Alex Rowson | Edward Hart | 10 March 2016 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from The Salisbury Museum are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "East" | Edward Hart | Gemma Hagen, Alex Rowson | Edward Hart | 17 March 2016 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from Museum of London are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "North" | Edward Hart | Gemma Hagen, Alex Rowson | Edward Hart | 24 March 2016 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from Yorkshire Museum are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Series 5 (2016)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "West" | Graham Cooper | Gemma Hagen, Alex Rowson | Graham Cooper [d] | 6 December 2016 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from Bristol Museum are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "North" | Gemma Hagen | Gemma Hagen | Graham Cooper | 13 December 2016 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from National Museum of Scotland are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "East" | Alex Rowson | Alex Rowson | Graham Cooper | 20 December 2016 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from Canterbury Museums are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Series 6 (2017)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "West" | Nick Gillam-Smith | Not listed | Nick Gillam-Smith [d] | 22 November 2017 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from Museum of Somerset are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "East" | Alex Rowson | Alex Rowson | Nick Gillam-Smith | 29 November 2017 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from Colchester Castle Museum are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "North" | Fiona Cushley | Fiona Cushley | Nick Gillam-Smith | 6 December 2017 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from National Museum of Scotland are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
4 | "The Horsemen of Hadrian's Wall" | James Gray | James Gray | Nick Gillam-Smith | 13 December 2017 | N/A | |
Roman cavalry special (featuring Roman cavalry tournament) Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Series 7 (2018)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "North" | Karen Kirk | Karen Kirk | Nick Gillam-Smith | 28 November 2018 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from National Museum of Scotland are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "West" | Not listed [e] | Not listed | Nick Gillam-Smith | 5 December 2018 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from Museum of Somerset are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "East" | Louise Ord | Louise Ord | Nick Gillam-Smith | 12 December 2018 | N/A | |
Throughout episode finds from Norwich Castle Museum are shown Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
4 | "Iron Age Revealed" | Tom Ranson | Tom Ranson | Nick Gillam-Smith | 19 December 2018 | N/A | |
Iron Age special Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Series 8 (2019)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "West" | Sophie Smith | Sophie Smith | Paul Olding | 20 November 2019 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "North" | Gareth Sacala | Gareth Sacala | Paul Olding | 27 November 2019 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "South" | Sophie Smith, Gareth Sacala | Sophie Smith, Gareth Sacala | Paul Olding | 4 December 2019 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
4 | "WWII Special" | Sophie Smith, Gareth Sacala | Sophie Smith, Gareth Sacala | Paul Olding | 11 December 2019 | N/A | |
World War II special Throughout episode Imperial War Museum Duxford is shown Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Special (2020)
[edit]
No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "The Greatest Discoveries: The Early Settlers" | Not listed | Denis Minihan | Not listed | 17 March 2020 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "The Greatest Discoveries: A Land of Tribes" | Not listed | Denis Minihan | Not listed | 24 March 2020 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "The Greatest Discoveries: Roman Conquest" | Not listed | Denis Minihan | Not listed | 31 March 2020 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
4 | "The Greatest Discoveries: Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms" | Not listed | Denis Minihan | Not listed | 7 April 2020 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Series 9 (2022)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "East" | Not listed | Edward Hart[h], Rory Wheeler[h] | Theo Williams | 4 January 2022 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "South" | Not listed | Edward Hart[h], Rory Wheeler[h] | Theo Williams | 5 January 2022 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "North" | Not listed | Edward Hart[h], Rory Wheeler[h] | Theo Williams | 6 January 2022 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
4 | "Midlands" | Not listed | Edward Hart[h], Rory Wheeler[h] | Theo Williams | 11 January 2022 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
5 | "West" | Not listed | Edward Hart[h], Rory Wheeler[h] | Theo Williams | 12 January 2022 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
6 | "North" | Not listed | Edward Hart[h], Rory Wheeler[h] | Theo Williams | 13 January 2022 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Series 10 (2023)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Roman Towns and Tudor Shipwrecks" | Not listed | Denis Minihan | Theo Williams | 1 January 2023 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "Arthur's Stone and a Georgian Mine" | Not listed | Denis Minihan | Theo Williams | 8 January 2023 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "Headless Romans and Anglo Saxon Gold" | Not listed | Denis Minihan | Theo Williams | 22 January 2023 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
4 | "Mystery Shipwreck and a Roman Army Camp" | Not listed | Denis Minihan | Theo Williams | 29 January 2023 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
5 | "Roman Mosaics and Ancient Weapons" | Not listed | Not listed | Not listed | 5 February 2023 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
6 | "Ice Age Camp and a Saint with Syphilis" | Not listed | Denis Minihan | Theo Williams | 12 February 2023 | N/A | |
Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Series 11 (2024)
[edit]No. in season | Title | Directed by | Producer(s) | Series Producer | Original air date | UK viewers (millions) | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "The Roman Emperor’s Bathhouse" | Dominic Ozanne | TBA | Dominic Ozanne | 2 January 2024 | N/A | |
Northern Britain Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
2 | "Anglo-Saxon Gold and Rebellious Nuns" | Not listed | TBA | Dominic Ozanne | 3 January 2024 | N/A | |
Central England Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
3 | "A Norman Panic Room and a Mesolithic Fish Trap" | Not listed | TBA | Dominic Ozanne | 4 January 2024 | N/A | |
Western Britain Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
4 | "A Roman Mystery and Waterloo’s Disappearing Dead" | Not listed | TBA | Dominic Ozanne | 9 January 2024 | N/A | |
Eastern England Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
5 | "3000-Year-Old Shoes and Giant Axeheads" | Not listed | TBA | Dominic Ozanne | 10 January 2024 | N/A | |
Southern England Sites and archaeology featured:
| |||||||
6 | "Forgotten Fortresses and Lost Villages" | Not listed | TBA | Dominic Ozanne | 11 January 2024 | N/A | |
Western Britain Sites and archaeology featured:
|
Archaeologists
[edit]- Matt Williams[12][13][14][15][16][17][18]
- Raksha Dave[7]
- Naoíse Mac Sweeney[8]
- Cat Jarman FSA[19][20][21][9][22][23][24][25]
- Stuart Prior[9][26][27][28][29][30][31]
- Richard Osgood , MOD archaeologist, Guest, Series 1–present[32]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Includes one special episode.
- ^ a b c d Credited as Studio Director.
- ^ Special Episode.
- ^ a b Listed in end credits as Series Producer/Director.
- ^ Judging from the place in the credits might be Nick Gillam-Smith for this episode, mistitled as Series Producer only.
- ^ Each episode is about 30 minutes in length.[11]
- ^ Each episode is a compilation of material from previous series.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Credited as Executive Producer.
References
[edit]- ^ "360 Production, Screencut join and rebrand as Rare TV - Televisual". 25 January 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ "Digging For Britain". BBC press office. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
- ^ "Digging for Britain". BBC Programmes. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
- ^ "Digging for Britain". BBC Programmes. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
- ^ "Digging for Ireland". BBC Programmes. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
- ^ Digging for Britain (Documentary), 360 Production, Northern Ireland Screen, Rare-TV, 19 August 2010, retrieved 12 January 2022
- ^ a b "Raksha Dave". Pitt Rivers Museum. Archived from the original on 17 January 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Digging for Britain, Series 8, WWII Special". BBC Two. BBC. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ a b c "BBC Two - Digging for Britain". BBC. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ^ Flynn, Johnny [@JohnnyFlynnHQ] (4 January 2022). "Hello all and Happy New Year. The song @RobGMacfarlane and I have written for @theAliceRoberts's fantastic new series of Digging For Britain is released in two versions today, to celebrate the first episode on @BBCTwo - listen to Coins for the Eyes here: https://t.co/dHBYmRTsZW" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 22 January 2022 – via Twitter.
- ^ "BBC Two - Digging for Britain, the Greatest Discoveries, Episode 1".
- ^ "Matt Williams". Our People. bristol.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "Digging for Britain". Bradshaw Foundation. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "Matt Williams Interview". The Post Hole. Department of Archaeology, University of York. February 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "Digging for Britain, Series 4". BBC Two. BBC. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "the Trust and the 'Fenwick treasure' on TV: "Digging for Britain"". The Colchester Archaeologist. 4 February 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "New Time Team crew members hail from Bournemouth University". Bournemouth University. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ Norton, Andrew (31 May 2016). "Our New Man in Wales". Wessex Archaeology. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ O'Connor, Rachael. "Extremely rare 'ancient Celtic ornament' discovered in Norway believed to have been stolen by Vikings". The Irish Post. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ Jarman, Cat (1 February 2022). River Kings: A New History of the Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 978-1-64313-870-1. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "Cat Jarman". Peters Fraser and Dunlop, Literary Agents. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "Cat Jarman". Jaipur Literature Festival London at the British Library. 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "CAT JARMAN - Encouraging potential archaeology students". Current Archaeology. 15 March 2013. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ Jarman, Cat. "What archaeology tells us about human migration". TEDxBath. YouTube. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "Dr Catrine Jarman". Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, School of Arts. University of Bristol. Archived from the original on 8 May 2019. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "2010: Gravedigger to archaeologist". News and features. University of Bristol. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "Stuart Prior". Our People. bristol.ac.uk. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ Ravilious, Kate (January 2014). "The Scientist's Garden". Archaeology Magazine. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "Stuart J Prior". University of Bristol. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ "Stuart Prior". Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, School of Arts. University of Bristol. Archived from the original on 10 January 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2022.
- ^ Perfect Weapon (TV series)
- ^ "MOD archaeologist awarded MBE in New Year's Honours list". GOV.UK. Retrieved 28 January 2024.