Norfolk And Suffolk | Preview (Channel 5)

Narrated by Bill Nighy, this series celebrates the beauty of Suffolk and Norfolk, England’s gorgeous Eastern counties.

Made up of wild coastlines, deep forests and rich farmland the series takes us far and wide in an area known as the breadbasket of Britain, but also famous as one of its most beloved holiday destinations.

The series stars the celebration of Norfolk and Suffolk as the sun rises, breaking through the surf onboard one of the last of the Cromer Crab Boats. Soon we begin hauling up Norfolk’s bounty, crab pots full of what skipper, Richard Mathews, hopes will be supper for 100 wedding guests at his restaurant this evening.

Inland, we spend time with another early riser, Coxy the Vegman aka Darren Cox, a trader in the Suffolk town of Sudbury. Sudbury’s market can be traced back to Saxon times, so Darren is continuing a trade that’s lasted well over 1,000 years.

Down on the Suffolk coast, Dani Church’s Walberswick ferry crossing is a little younger. It’s only been running for 700 years. Dani herself has been at the ores for over 10 years and is the fifth generation of her family to row passengers across the river Blythe.

Still in Suffolk we join champion rose grower Ian Limmer as he chases gold at the Chelsea Flower Show. Since October he’s been raising over 3,000 plants for the event, and today he’s deciding which will be good enough to go to Chelsea and, he hopes, win him gold for the 28th time.

Another person chasing gold is dingy sailor Keith Ferridge. Only having the use of one arm due to cerebral palsy, he’s been racing an adapted dingy on Norfolk’s Olton Broad for the last ten years and is soon jostling for first position at the front of the fleet. With the sun sinking low after a wonderful day experiencing the best of Norfolk and Suffolk.

Norfolk & Suffolk begins Wednesday 6th September on Channel 5.