Countdown is the most popular UK game show with 996,000 annual searches
The Chase comes in second place, with 840,000 searches per year
The UK’s most popular game show gets almost one million searches each year, new research has revealed.
The study, commissioned by gaming experts Mahjong Challenge analysed the average number of yearly Google searches for more than 60 game shows on UK TV to reveal the top 10.
The most popular UK game show is ‘Countdown’ with more than 996,000 annual searches. The words and numbers quiz challenge was the first program to be aired on Channel Four back in 1982, and 40 years later holds the top spot in UK Google searches.
ITV’s ‘The Chase’, presented by Bradley Walsh, is the second most popular game show with 840,000 searches per year – twice the average of the top ten game shows.
The show sees contestants battle against a professional quizzer in an effort to win a cash prize, with individuals walking away with as much as £75,000!
‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ takes third place with 456,000 annual searches. The show, originally hosted by Chris Tarrant and later by Jeremy Clarkson, first aired in the UK in 1998 but has since aired in more than 120 countries in more than 80 languages, making it one of the most successful game shows on TV. As such, it is not surprising to see it in the top 10 most searched for UK game shows.
With 360,000 searches per year, ‘Catchphrase’ sits in the fourth position. The show first aired in 1986 and is currently presented by Steven Mulhern. Contestants try to guess the correct catchphrase with the help of a photo or animation.
The fifth most popular UK game show is ITV’s quiz program ‘Tenable’ hosted by Warwick Davis, where contestants try to find the top ten answers in a given category. Next is BBC’s ‘Mastermind’, which sees players answer challenging questions to collect the most points. In seventh place is ‘Blankety Blank’, a comedy game show where contestants try to match the answers of a celebrity panel guessing the missing word in a statement. All three game shows have more than 300,000 searches per year.
Rank
UK Game Show
Monthly Search Volume
Yearly Search Volume
1
Countdown
83,000
996,000
2
The Chase
70,000
840,000
3
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
38,000
456,000
4
Catchphrase
30,000
360,000
5
Tenable
28,000
336,000
6
Mastermind
26,000
312,000
7
Blankety Blank
25,000
300,000
8
Tipping Point
22,000
264,000
9
Crystal Maze
21,000
252,000
10
Question of Sport
21,000
252,000
A spokesperson for Mahjong Challenge commented on the study: “Game shows have been a staple in many homes across the UK since the 1950s and some of the most successful game shows on TV originated here in Britain.
“It will be interesting to see how the popularity changes over the coming years though, since 75% of Countdown viewers are in the 55 plus age range, whereas The Chase has a wider target audience.
“Game shows face more competition than ever before to capture the attention of younger audiences, since they are used to having access to endless entertainment at the touch of a button through services such as Netflix and Prime Video.”
If you’ve ever wondered what really happens in an airline beyond take-offs and landings, a new ten-part BBC series launching next Monday will offer an exclusive insight into the lives of the younger members of the team at Loganair, the UK’s largest regional airline.
Loganair provided all-areas access to camera crews from Mentorn Scotland over several months – filming from as far afield as Shetland and the Outer Hebrides to London Heathrow, as 11 of the airline’s team, ranging from Captain to Aircraft Engineer, balanced their personal lives with the busiest summer at work they’ve faced to date.
It’s far reaching, with the UK’s first commercial pilot living with HIV attempting to update aviation legislation to achieve his dream, while one cabin crew member seeks advice from her best friend as she strives to become a pilot.
The show also follows the UK’s youngest captain from Edinburgh as he juggles life in the air with his love of street performing and his long-distance relationship in Shetland, and an engineer who faces her biggest challenge yet as she converts a plane into an air ambulance in time for a patient to be transported the following morning.
The series also captures the close friendships of those at Loganair as it shows best mates from Manchester and Mauritius settling into their new lives as pilots in Aberdeen, and a special family moment as one pilot surprises his mum with a flight to an island to thank her for her support throughout his career – the first time she’s ever been on a commercial flight with her son flying the plane.
The first episode of Sky High Club lines up for take-off on BBC Scotland at 22:00 on Monday 15 August, with a second instalment on Thursday 18 August. BBC Three launches the series nationally from 20:00 on Thursday 18 August with two back-to-back episodes.
A “series drop” of the entire ten episodes will be available through the BBC iPlayer from Monday 15 August.
Jonathan Hinkles, CEO of Loganair, said: “We are all incredibly proud of those who participated in Sky High Club and everyone in the wider team who made it possible.
“During a busy summer, when the entire aviation industry was faced with changing covid restrictions and huge challenges, it was a daunting prospect to invite a TV crew behind the scenes of our airline. For this to work in the best possible way, we gave the camera crews full access to behind-the-scenes life at Loganair, and I’m truly grateful to the stars of the show for volunteering to share their personal and truly inspiring stories as part of the journey.
“It is our hope that it provides fantastic encouragement and insight for those contemplating a career in aviation – whether in the air or on the ground – and that we are able to continue welcoming a diverse range of new recruits into the Loganair family.”
Sky High Club, produced by Mentorn Scotland, is the result of a commission from a creative partnership of BBC Three, BBC Scotland and Screen Scotland.
The scheme invited local Scottish Independent production companies to pitch innovative, factual entertainment format ideas that reflect the life experiences young people, with the promise of a guaranteed series commission.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the BBC have confirmed that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted in the United Kingdom on behalf of this year’s winning broadcaster, Ukraine’s UA:PBC.
BBC to take on hosting duties with Contest to be held in United Kingdom in 2023
Logo reflecting unique circumstances of staging to be revealed later
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the BBC are pleased to confirm that the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be hosted in the United Kingdom on behalf of this year’s winning broadcaster, Ukraine’s UA:PBC.
Following the decision that, regrettably, next year’s event could not be held in Ukraine for safety and security reasons the EBU explored a number of options with the winning broadcaster.
As a result of discussions, the BBC, as runner up in the 2022 Contest, was invited by the EBU to act as Host Broadcaster for the 67th Eurovision Song Contest.
“We’re exceptionally grateful that the BBC has accepted to stage the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK in 2023,” said Martin Österdahl, the Eurovision Song Contest’s Executive Supervisor.
“The BBC has taken on hosting duties for other winning countries on four previous occasions. Continuing in this tradition of solidarity, we know that next year’s Contest will showcase the creativity and skill of one of Europe’s most experienced public broadcasters whilst ensuring this year’s winners, Ukraine, are celebrated and represented throughout the event.”
Mykola Chernotytskyi, Head of the Managing Board of UA:PBC, added: “The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will not be in Ukraine but in support of Ukraine. We are grateful to our BBC partners for showing solidarity with us.
“I am confident that together we will be able to add Ukrainian spirit to this event and once again unite the whole of Europe around our common values of peace, support, celebrating diversity and talent.”
Representatives from UA: PBC will work with the BBC to develop and implement the Ukrainian elements of next year’s shows. Ukraine, as the winning country of the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest, will also automatically qualify to the Grand Final of the upcoming Contest.
Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC said: “It is a matter of great regret that our colleagues and friends in Ukraine are not able to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Being asked to host the largest and most complex music competition in the world is a great privilege.
“The BBC is committed to making the event a true reflection of Ukrainian culture alongside showcasing the diversity of British music and creativity. The BBC will now begin the process to find a Host City to partner with us on delivering one of the most exciting events to come to the UK in 2023.”
The BBC has staged the Eurovision Song Contest more times than any other broadcaster, hosting in London in 1960, 1963, 1968 and 1977, Edinburgh in 1972, Brighton in 1974, Harrogate in 1982 and Birmingham in 1998.
Next year’s Host City will be chosen in the coming months following a bidding process to be launched this week. The dates for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be announced in due course.
The logo for the 2023 event will also be revealed later and will reflect the unique staging of next year’s Contest and the cooperation between the host country and this year’s winners.
The Eurovision Song Contest is the world’s largest live music event, organised annually since 1956 by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which represents public service media in 56 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The 2022 competition reached over 180 million viewers on TV and digital platforms.
Ukraine, as the winning country in 2022, will automatically qualify for the Grand Final of the upcoming Contest along with the so-called ‘Big 5’ (those countries that financially contribute the most towards the Contest: France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom).
Kalush Orchestra on stage having won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2022 – EBU / Corinne Cumming
Representatives of UA: PBC will work with the BBC to develop and implement the Ukrainian elements of next year’s shows.
The logo for the 2023 event will also be revealed later and will reflect the unique staging of next year’s Contest and the cooperation between the host country and this year’s winners.
Search for Host City begins
Next year’s Host City will be chosen in the coming months following a bidding process to be launched this week.
Bidding is expected to be competitive, with several mayors, councillors and MPs already informally expressing an intention to bid, including representatives from: Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Newcastle, Nottingham, Sheffield, Swindon and Wolverhampton.
Not all of these locations will formally apply, and the BBC and the EBU will await official approaches and applications from this week onwards, publishing the long-list later in the Summer.
As well as selling their vision for a fantastic Contest, potential Host Cities are expected to demonstrate that they can meet a list of expectations.
Last year, the EBU’s Host City criteria was based on providing a venue able to accommodate at least 10,000 spectators (as well as a press centre), that should be within easy reach of an international airport and with ample hotel accommodation.
Teenagers in the UK are turning away from traditional news channels and are instead looking to Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to keep up to date, Ofcom has found.
Ofcom’s News Consumption in the UK 2021/22 report shows that, for the first time, Instagram is the most popular news source among teenagers – used by nearly three in ten in 2022 (29%). TikTok and YouTube follow closely behind, used by 28% of youngsters to follow news.
BBC One and BBC Two – historically the most popular news sources among teens – have been knocked off top spot down to fifth place. Around a quarter of teens (24%) use these channels for news in 2022, compared to nearly half (45%) just five years ago.1
BBC One remains the most used news source among all online adults, although it is one of several major TV news channels to reach fewer people in 2022.2 News viewing to BBC One, BBC Two, BBC News channel, ITV and Sky News is now below pre-pandemic levels, resuming a longer-term decline in traditional TV news viewing.
TikTok clocks up millions more news users
Conversely, TikTok has seen the largest increase in use of any news source between 2020 and 2022 – from 0.8 million UK adults in 2020 (1%), increasing to 3.9 million UK adults in 2022 (7%).3 This brings it onto a par with Sky News’ website and app.
TikTok’s growth is primarily driven by younger age groups, with half of its news users aged 16 to 24. Users of TikTok for news claim to get more of their news on the platform from ‘other people they follow’ (44%) than ‘news organisations’ (24%).4
Yih-Choung Teh, Ofcom’s Group Director for Strategy and Research, said: “Teenagers today are increasingly unlikely to pick up a newspaper or tune into TV News, instead preferring to keep up-to-date by scrolling through their social feeds.
“And while youngsters find news on social media to be less reliable, they rate these services more highly for serving up a range of opinions on the day’s topical stories.”
TV news remains trusted
TV news remains the most trusted news source among UK adults (71%), with news on social media considered the least reliable (35%). CNN (83%) and Sky News (75%) are highly trusted by their viewers for news, while the public service broadcasters are also trusted by the majority of their viewers – BBC (73%), ITV (70%), Channel 4 (66%) and Channel 5 (59%). Sixty-seven per cent of newcomer GB News’s viewers trust its news reporting.
Among teens, half of YouTube and Twitter users think they provide trustworthy news stories (51% and 52% respectively). Despite its popularity for news, fewer than a third of youngsters (30%) trust TikTok’s news content.
Decline in print news appears to accelerate
The combined use of print and online newspapers among adults is 38% in 2022, a significant decrease from 2020 (47%) and 2018 (51%).
This is being driven by the substantial decrease of print newspaper reach in recent years, with the trend seen pre-pandemic appearing to accelerate, likely exacerbated by the pandemic.
Less than a quarter (24%) of UK adults use print newspapers for news in 2022, compared with more than a third (35%) in 2020, and two in five (40%) in 2018. Use of newspapers among teenagers fell from 19% to 13% in the last five years.
The most memorable theme tune in the UK is Friends, followed by EastEnders andCoronation Street.
75% of 16-24-year-olds believe that theme tunes used to be more recognisable.
44% of people find that a good TV theme tune plays an important role in the enjoyment of the show.
From dramatic instrumentals to catchy hit songs, a good introduction sequence to a TV show can live in the hearts and minds of audiences for a long time. But which TV theme tunes do we love the most?
A recent study by Currys uncovered which TV theme tune is the most recognised, which one is most nostalgic and whether we’ve become a nation of intro skippers.
The most memorable TV soundtrack
The study surveyed 2,006 people in the UK to find out what TV theme tune springs to mind when first questioned. It turns out the hit 90s show Friends and its iconic song by The Rembrandts takes the top spot. Here are the TV shows that made the top 10:
Rank
Show
% of votes
1
Friends
23%
2
EastEnders
20%
3
Coronation Street
13%
4
Match of the Day
12%
5
Only Fools & Horses
6%
6
Doctor Who
4%
7
Neighbours
3%
8
Game of Thrones
2%
9
Star Trek
2%
10
Grandstand
2%
Which genres have the most recognisable theme tune?
When it comes to the genre that has the most recognisable theme tune, soaps take the top spot.
It could be why the list of top 10 most memorable theme tunes above has soap shows featured three times. Here are the stats on the most recognisable theme tune by genre and who is most likely to recall them:
· 40% of Brits believe that soaps have the most iconic theme tunes. This is followed by comedies (26%) and dramas (25%).
· 50% of women stated that soaps have the most recognisable theme tune.
· Twice the number of men (31%) than women (15%) think sport-related TV shows have the most memorable theme tunes.
· 45-54-year-olds believe that the soap genre has the most recognised theme tune.
· Comedy is the most popular genre with Gen Zs, with 31% stating that these theme tunes are the most memorable.
Do theme tunes conjure up feelings of nostalgia?
The survey found that certain TV title sequences can elicit feelings of nostalgia in viewers, transporting them to their childhood or another time in their past. Here’s what the survey unearthed about nostalgia and theme tunes:
· 75% of 16-24-year-olds believe that theme tunes used to be more recognisable.
· Boomers completely disagree, with 65% stating that do not think theme tunes used to be any more recognisable.
· The show that reminds people of their childhood the most is Doctor Who.
Are older theme tunes more memorable?
It’s easier than ever to skip or fast-forward the title sequence of shows. But has this impacted the recognisability of TV theme tunes? Well, nearly half of the shows on the list of top 10 most memorable theme tunes were first broadcast in the 60s. Here’s what else the survey discovered:
· The average number of years the top 10 most memorable TV shows and their theme tunes have been running for is 39 years, with 6 of the shows still running to this day.
· A quarter of Brits state that the least memorable genre of theme tunes is reality TV shows.
· In second and third place of least recognisable are the News and Politics (22%) and Sci-Fi/Horror genres (19%).
· 55+-year-old respondents state they are least likely to recognise the theme tune from a reality TV show.
How important are theme tunes to the enjoyment of the show?
Often the title sequence and the theme tune that accompany them are designed to be a part of the episode itself. They tell the audience what to expect from the show and some even change as the story progresses or even add an extra gag for the audience to enjoy before each episode starts. Here are the people who enjoy and don’t enjoy TV theme tunes:
· 44% of people find that a good theme tune plays an important role in a TV show.
· 16% of respondents stated that a theme tune is not important in the enjoyment of a good TV show.
· Over half (56%) of Gen Zs (16-24-year-olds) believe that a good theme tune adds to the enjoyment of a show, even though they’re also the group that’s most likely to skip it.
· Nearly a quarter (23%) of 55+-year-olds do not believe the theme tune adds to the enjoyment of their show.
Are we a nation of intro skippers?
Thanks to handy “skip intro” features on streaming services, audiences no longer have to sit through TV theme tunes, if they don’t want to. So, who’s opting to not watch the intros?
· 92% of millennials (25-34-year-olds) say they skip the intro.
· People over 55 years old are most likely to watch intros of TV shows, with nearly 30% of respondents in this age bracket stating they never skip them.
· 88% of Newcastle residents are intro skippers.
· Edinburgh residents are least likely to skip the intro to a TV show (23%).
The true star of the show: the stunning Devon farm you can visit for a holiday
The home of the hit TV show, “The Simpler Life” is a beautiful farmstead, Libbear Barton, in North West Devon that you can visit for a holiday.
The property comprises four luxury, self-catered holiday lets accompanied by a beautiful, heated indoor pool, soft play and playground. Set in 40 acres of the stunning rolling hills of North Devon that viewers fell in love with, the stunning Georgian farmhouse and barn conversion cottages sleep up to 40 people.
Max Manners, Libbear Barton’s General Manager said: “Tuesday night’s premier of The Simpler Life on Channel 4 left viewers in no doubt that living in the countryside is not for everyone.
“But even the most city-centric of us still love to occasionally escape there on holiday. We specialise in family friendly holidays for those who enjoy the outdoors but want to know that there is plenty to do indoors too should the weather not be perfect…which it occasionally is not!”
But if you are looking for the “simpler life” experience you won’t find it here. Having undergone a recent refurbishment, viewers would have difficulty recognising the accommodation.
Gone are the sparse, candlelit bedrooms and stripped back furnishings you would find in an Amish community. Instead, you can expect to find stylish, modern, country homes offering the highest level of comfort.
Despite the departure from the Amish tradition of eschewing modern life, Max and Alex Manners, who run the site, still aim to create a business that is as sustainable as possible. Solar powers a large proportion of the sites’ energy requirement with the rest supplied through green renewables.
The water supply is delivered from an on-site borehole and windblown trees provide fuel for heating in the winter months.
The couple also aspire to a level of self-sufficiency.
“We have been inspired by what the contributors were able to achieve in a short time”, explains Alex Manners. “We aim to continue to cultivate the land for vegetables and raise our own meat much like they did on the show.
“Holiday guests will be able to collect eggs and pick veg for the table during their stay – hopefully inspiring them to live in a way that minimises their impact as much as possible.”
‘The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer’ is back with new kitchenware in Cancer Research UK shops
BAKERS from Edinburgh and the Lothians are being urged to grab their mixing bowls and whip up some cash, as ‘The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer’ returns to Channel 4 tomorrow (March 22).
Everyone from baking beginners to patisserie pros are being asked to don their aprons in aid of Stand Up To Cancer, the joint fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4.
Getting started is a piece of cake with a free fundraising kit to download full of tips, recipes and ideas for getting friends and family involved in raising some serious dough for life-saving research.
Fans of the show can also support the cause with striking new Star Baker themed kitchenware available from Cancer Research UK shops in Edinburgh and the Lothians or online, as well as via retailer Next.co.uk.*
The range features everything foodies and fundraisers need to create their signature bakes in style including an apron, oven gloves, a trio of tea towels and a mug.
In Scotland, around 32,200 people are diagnosed with cancer a year.**
Stand Up To Cancer aims to get new cancer tests and treatments to people who need them the most. Since its launch in 2012, the campaign has raised more than £93 million to fund 59 clinical trials and research projects across the UK.
These include the development of new treatments that use viruses to fight cancer, clinical trials testing potentially more effective ways to deliver radiotherapy and improved surgical techniques for bowel cancer.
Linda Summerhayes, Cancer Research UK spokesperson in Scotland, said: “One in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime***, but all of us can play a part to help beat it. That’s why we need people across Edinburgh and the Lothians to help us turn up the heat on this devastating disease.
“We hope these special episodes for Stand Up To Cancer will encourage viewers to host their own baking fundraiser. It doesn’t matter if you aren’t a whizz in the kitchen, you can look the part with our new Star Baker range. The most important thing is raising money to help speed up research and save lives. Every last crumb will make a difference.”
The celebrity contestants putting their skills to the test in the Bake Off tent and hoping to inspire some show-stopping fundraising results include Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah; singer-songwriter Example; singer-songwriter and UN Environment Ambassador Ellie Goulding; TV presenters Sophie Morgan and Emma Willis; actor, Blake Harrison; comedian, writer and TV presenter Ruby Wax and judge, presenter and dancer Motsi Mabuse.
‘The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer’ will return for five special episodes on Channel 4 on Tuesdays at 8pm, from March 22.
10th April – Edinburgh Festival Theatre audition date
Leading entertainment industry training programme and talent management, Stagebox, has announced audition dates taking place across the nation from April 2022.
The annual search sees experts audition passionate performers aged 8-18 years old from across the country (and internationally), offering successful members the chance to benefit from world class training and opportunities in a contemporary supercharged industry accelerator for musical theatre, television and film.
Last year’s auditions saw the Stagebox team meet thousands of performers from across the UK and beyond, and this year they anticipate similar interest. This year, auditionees will be able to select whether they are auditioning for an acting or musical theatre membership and their audition day will see them be put through their paces in this discipline.
Many young performers training at Stagebox have already landed dream roles on stage and screen, thanks to the expert training and management.
Stagebox has secured their clients major lead talent screen roles in Oscar nominated and Emmy award winning productions, including Peaky Blinders (Netflix), Sex Education (Netflix), Robin Robin (Netflix), Ted Lasso (Apple TV+), Avenue 5 (HBO), The Power (Amazon Studios), Pistol (Disney +), BAFTA anthology Superdad (Channel 4), Gentleman Jack (Netflix/HBO), Lagging (BBC) and many more.
Stagebox management clients also continue to star in West End and UK Tour musicals including Frozen, Matilda the Musical, School of Rock, Annie, The Grinch, Mary Poppins and Tina the Musical to name a few.
To further the opportunities for their clients, Stagebox Management has also brokered agency partnerships stateside, working alongside Innovative Artists, Paradigm Talent, Luber Roklin Entertainment, Gravity Hill, KMR, Maverick and more.
Commenting on the upcoming 2022 auditions, Stagebox’s General Manager, Jasmine Quinlan Gardner, said: “We are so excited to begin our nationwide search for the stars of today and tomorrow.
“We are proud of our inclusive, diverse and extraordinarily talented community and we can’t wait to meet those who will join us on the journey.”
Kirsti Bagger, Head Agent at Stagebox, adds: “At Stagebox, the training is second to none, preparing our young stars for careers on the stage and screen. 2021 was one of our most successful years ever with Stagebox Management clients wrapping on global award-winning feature films and television series and critically acclaimed theatre productions.
“We’re committed to making auditions for Stagebox free as part of our ongoing dedication to inclusivity in the arts. We only open for auditions once a year, and we’re excited to see our 2022 auditionees’ incredible new talent!”
These auditions are guaranteed to fill up fast and limited spaces apply. To register your spot for your preferred audition date, please visit the Stagebox website to apply.
Whether planting potatoes or cultivating herbaceous borders, the Scots have long been known as a nation of gardeners. In this series, green-fingered Murdo Macdonald visits some of the country’s most important designed-landscapes to reveal the fascinating story of Scotland’s gardening past.
Each programme explores a different garden, with Murdo picking out his favourite aspects of each and talking to the curators and gardeners who look after them today. He’ll learn about their design, plant-life, setting and history.
Murdo said: “Scotland is famed for its landscapes, for natural habitats of variety and great beauty. We also have an incredible history and culture of cultivation, of gardening and plant collecting.
“I’ve had a pretty varied career, from army officer to estate factor. I’ve worked across the UK and further afield but it’s only now that I’ve taken a step back from working full-time that I can indulge my hobbies – art and gardening.
“My own garden is my haven, there’s something very therapeutic about the solitary nature of gardening, the rhythm of it and the sights and sounds of nature.
“Gardening can feed you, heal you and educate. It also teaches you patience!
“Now is a fantastic time to start gardening given the background of what we’re all experiencing and the need to stay closer to home.
“With these gardens it’s the vision that’s gone into their creation that’s incredible and the continuing work that staff do to maintain them that surprises and delights.
“In essence these gardens are masterpieces and a testament to the skill and passion of those who look after them. They are all astonishing and when you walk through the gardens they inspire you to recreate some of what you see on a smaller scale at home.”
Four new episodes (5 to 8) start on Thursday, September 23 and they will also be available on the BBC iPlayer for 30 days afterwards:
Programme 5 – Dawyck Botanic Garden near Stobo, Scottish Borders
Murdo travels to near Stobo in the Scottish Borders to visit Dawyck Botanic Garden when the autumn colours are at their most vibrant.
Dawyck Botanic Garden is one of the regional gardens of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Its Cryptogamic Sanctuary is the world’s first reserve for mosses, liverworts, lichens and fungi.
Murdo speaks to a mycologist about the garden’s Cryptogamic Sanctuary and why fungi is important in the eco system and its various uses to produce medicines, chocolate, coffee and bread. It’s also fundamental for producing fizzy drinks, wine and cheese.
Roddy Maclean talks about an autumn favourite – the bramble, and Dr Mark Newman from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh tells viewers about how trees reproduce.
The programme also features a rare Katsura tree which smells like candy floss.
Quotes from presenter Murdo Macdonald:
“Dawyck’s a really interesting garden, somewhat out of the way yet it’s an oasis of horticultural genius. I was taken aback that someone has achieved what they did in this remote part of Scotland.
“There’s an incredible diversity of plants and shrubs and a beautiful landscape surrounding it.
“The Katsura tree was amazing, when you walk past it you can smell the sweetness and you wonder where it comes from. It sets your tastebuds tingling!”
Contributors:
Curator – Graham Stewart
Mycologist – Neville Kilkenny
Royal Botanic Garden press and marketing manager – Shauna Hay
Programme 6 – Ardkinglas, Loch Fyne, Argyll
Murdo visits Ardkinglas on the banks of Loch Fyne in Argyll. In the House Gardens he finds out about the model railway that used to run along the lochside, and wanders around the azaleas which are bursting with colour in the Ladies’ Garden.
He walks up to the Old Mill by the river, then explores the champion trees and renowned rhododendron collection in the Woodland Garden. He also finds out more about the fairy garden for children which is made up of lots of little houses next to the bottom of tree trunks, laid out in trail to follow, which tells the story of different fairy characters who have set up home there.
Roddy Maclean talks about the folklore associated with bluebells and Dr Mark Newman from the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh talks about the process of hybridising rhododendrons.
Quotes from presenter Murdo Macdonald:
“The fairy garden attracts thousands of families each year so it’s become a destination in itself.
“Children can easily spend a day there and it’s a great way to get youngsters interested in the outdoors and gardening.
“The Ladies’ Garden with azaleas is also well worth seeing, in summer it’s stunning because it’s ablaze with colour.”
Contributors
Owner – David Sumsion
Estate manager – Jean Maskell
Programme 7 – Benmore Botanic Garden near Dunoon, Argyll
Murdo visits Benmore which is one of the regional gardens of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. The entrance to the garden is very impressive with a 50m high Redwood Avenue, planted in 1863.
The garden has areas with samples from different parts of the world, including Tasmania, Bhutan, Japan and Chile. Its Victorian fernery, built by James Duncan, a wealthy sugar refiner who once owned Benmore, has a collection of over 70 rare and varied ferns from across the world.
Murdo visits the Victorian fernery, the Tasmanian Ridge and the Chilean Rainforest Glade where he plants a monkey puzzle tree.
Dr Mark Newman of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh tells us about the important role of botanic gardens in conservation and education.
Quotes from presenter Murdo Macdonald:
“Benmore is a dramatic garden in its terrain with amazing views and you could easily spend days walking around, just taking in what’s there.
“There’s a wildness to the garden that isn’t as apparent at some of the other more formal gardens which can almost make you feel as though you’re in a different country.
“I look forward to visiting from time to time to see how my monkey puzzle tree is getting on.”
Contributors:
Curator – Peter Baxter
Royal Botanic Garden press and marketing manager – Shauna Hay
Programme 8 – The Japanese Garden at Cowden, Dollar near Stirling
Murdo visits the Japanese Garden at Cowden near Stirling. He finds out about the two women who created the garden at the turn of the 20th century – Ella Christie, and Taki Handa.
Ella Christie is believed to have been the first western woman to meet the Dalai Lama, and when she returned from a visit from Japan she was so inspired by their gardens that she wanted to create her own at Cowden. She employed Taki Handa from Japan (it was very unusual for a female to work in garden design in Japan), to create this garden of Shã Raku En, ‘the place of pleasure and delight’.
The garden was badly vandalised in the 1960s, so Ella’s great, great niece tells Murdo what was involved in reconstructing the garden. He also learns more about the cultural significance of the Japanese design of the garden and the essential work that’s being carried out by volunteers and staff to maintain the beauty of the gardens. Part of their work involves creating a ripple effect in the gravel as though a stone has been dropped and raking the leaves from the pond to retain a clean reflection on the water.
Roddy Maclean tells us about the importance of moss and Dr Mark Newman of The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh explains why trees turn such beautiful colours in the autumn.
Quotes from presenter Murdo Macdonald:
“The Japanese Garden is beautiful. It’s a completely different approach to gardening because it’s highly formalised. It’s almost an attempt to create perfection with such a minute approach to everything, even plucking a single weed at a time.
“There’s a lovely circulatory walk around it and each time you see something different. It creates a feeling of Zen-like tranquility.
“There’s also a fantastic backstory to this garden because of the involvement of three very formidable ladies who made such a success of it.”
Last night’s BBC One Mastermind final saw Jonathan Gibson, a 24-year-old student from Glasgow, crowned the youngest ever Mastermind Champion since the show began in 1972.
Currently studying a PhD in Modern History at the University of St. Andrews, Jonathan (above) won by a margin of four points in the Grand Final – scoring a perfect 11/11 in his specialist subject, comedy song writing duo, Flanders and Swann.
Jonathan’s other specialist subjects throughout the competition were Agatha Christie’s Poirot in the heat and William Pitt the Younger in the semi-final. He scored perfect scores on all three specialist subjects, as well as a perfect general knowledge score in his semi-final round.
Monday’s grand final was John Humphrys’ last episode as host of Mastermind. John presented 735 episodes and asked more than 80,000 questions during that time.
The new series with newly-announced presenter Clive Myrie, a BBC news journalist and regular presenter of the BBC News at Six and Ten, at the helm will be filmed in Belfast in the summer and will return to viewer’s screens on BBC One and BBC iPlayer later this year.
