Edition 23 of the Walks Around Britain podcast is a special dedicated to the popular long-running series Coast. Emma Johnston joins Andrew from Sydney to talk about Coast Australia and Steve Evanson, the series editor of Coast, talks about the new ninth series of the original UK version.
Coast Australia
(c) Foxtel / BBC
Professor Emma Johnston (left) joins Andrew from Sydney to talk about how she loved watching the original UK series of Coast - before getting a surprise phone call asking whether she'd like to co-present the forthcoming Australian version.
Emma is the director of the Sydney Harbour Research Program at the Sydney Institute of Marine Sciences - where she investigates the effects of contaminants and introduced species on the structure and diversity of indigenous marine species in places as diverse as the Great Barrier Reef and Antarctica. You can find out more about her work on their website here - and follow her on Twitter.
(c) BBC
Coast
Joining Andrew from not quite as far away as Emma - Coast HQ in Bristol in fact - is Steve Evanson, the series producer of the original UK version of Coast.
Coast returns for an amazing ninth series on BBC Two this summer, and Steve has been the series producer from the very first series way back in 2004/5. Here he chats to Andrew about the way the series is made, and the various elements which all go together to make Coast the successful and popular programme it is.
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Most welcome a new series of Coast is… but really, blink and you’d have missed it! In time gone by, a series of Coast would have 12 episodes, then down to 8 and now we have to make do with 6.
Nick Crane on the Isle of Wight overlooking The Needles
Still, these are 6 episodes of top quality. Top quality stories hosted by top quality presenters produced by top quality film-makers. Sea cliffs, rivers and seas, workers on the coast are all classic Coast stories.
In the past, Coast has been a journey around the sea’s edge in a particular neck of the woods, but this eighth series following on from the “themed” style of the seventh… and it works just a well as it did in that previous series. After all, there’s only so many times you can go past the White Cliffs of Dover and talk about them in isolation… but make the episode about Sea Cliffs and suddenly you can link those same cliffs with stories from around the British Isles.
Neil Oliver at Clydebank
Don’t be listening out for the dulcet tones of a long-haired Scottish historian in every episode this series. Out of the original line up of Coast experts, only Nicholas Crane remains throughout the series… but that’s one of the brilliant strengths about the series. It never was “Coast with Nicholas Crane”, because if it was, it probably wouldn’t have carried on after the second series when Nick moved onto to other projects to leave Neil Oliver as the main presenter… and again when Neil moved on and Nick returned as the front guy. The changing of the experts brings a new, fresh feel to the series in much the way a newly regenerated Doctor brings to my other passion, Doctor Who. The new experts have a different take on the stories, allowing them to develop in a totally bold way.
Tessa Dunlop at Plymouth Lido
Of these new experts, two are really of note for me. The first is Tessa Dunlop, whose enthusiasm for the stories she tells is unbound. Tessa is also now on my list of people who I could officially listen to all day long, together with Kirsty Young and Radio 4 continuity announcer Zoe Diamond – I’d listen to them read the telephone directory… The second is the excellent South Yorkshireman Ian MacMillan – the man who shows his passion for the spoken as well as written word in all his segments. And perhaps now there’s a space on telly for a South Yorkshire-born walking expert too…
So it does beg the question why only 6 episodes? Well, there’s no doubt budgets across the BBC are being tightened, and it seems there possibly is only enough money from BBC Two for 6 programmes. And within that budget, everything else is going up too. Take transport for example; how much of Coast’s budget is taken in transporting crew, cast and equipment to the various locations? For my own experience with our Walks Around Britain video walks I know that’s a fair chunk. But another benefit of the “themed” style of Coast is it allows the same cast and crew to film two segments for different episodes back to back in a similar location. Again, something the team here know all too well! So Nick’s trip to the Isle of Wight makes it into both episodes 5 and 6 – with different stories of course.
Nick Crane at top of Grimsby Dock Tower
It seems another drawback of the squeeze on budgets is the reduction in the number of computer generated imagery, or CGI. Traditionally one of the series’ signature points, there’s noticeably less of these sequences in the eighth series. Thankfully, the ones included are just as amazing as they always have been. As is the sumptuous aerial photography – another of Coast’s signature points.
There were quite a few highlights throughout the short series, but Ken Gollop hearing a recording of his father which he didn't know existed was perhaps my particular favourite, along with Nick’s perilous descent along the remarkable ropeway to get to the fishing grounds below.
The big question is just how does the production team manage to keep the programme of such high quality every series? Here’s looking forward to series nine…
Edition 8 of the Walks Around Britain podcast features an insight into the inspiration behind Wastwater Photography, Mark Brigham tells us about his National Three Peaks adventure and walking expert Cameron McNeish explains how he got into walking and writing - and about his new National Trail in Scotland.
Wastwater Photography
Mark Gilligan is cited as one of the worlds top Landscape Photographers.
A multi award winning member of both the British Institute of Professional Photography and the Royal Photographic Society, Mark is a features writer for many magazines such as 'Lake District Life', 'Lancashire Life', 'TGO', 'Country Walking' and 'Cumbria'.
On the podcast, Mark talks about his love of the Lakes and in particular Wast Water.
The Three Peaks Challenge involves climbing the three highest peaks in England, Wales and Scotland within 24 hours. It is a misconception the challenge takes in the three highest peaks in Britain - it doesn't - over 100 peaks in Scotland are higher than Scafell Pike, and 56 higher than Snowdon.
Having said that, it is a considerable challenge, and one rated up there with several higher mountains by people who have attempted many.
Mark Brigham joined Andrew to chat about his National Three Peaks adventure last year.
There isn't much in the outdoor world Cameron McNeish hasn't done. He's edited magazines, written books, presented television and DVD programmes, after dinner speaking, lecturing and being an adviser to various outdoor organisations.
But before all of that, he is a passionate wilderness hiker, backpacker and mountain walker - and it is this fact - as he points out - which makes him different to other presenters. And spot the lovely mention of Nick Crane...
To find out about Cameron's ever growing range of DVDs and books, visit the Mountain Media site - and say we sent ya!
Hope you enjoyed this month's podcast. Please let us know your comments and suggestions.
