Bill Bryson Notes from a Small Island

Episode 2

Episode 2

Bill salutes a uniquely British genius - the ability to fill any idle moment with a diversion, hobby or obsession. He meets the horn dancers of Abbots Bromley, caber tossers in Glenfinnan, ballroom dancers in Blackpool and a fell runner in the Lake District. Then, in a Bournemouth beach hut on a wet afternoon, he puts it all into perspective in conversation with Victoria Wood.

Episode 3

Episode 3

Bill continues his journey with a search for the country's soul. Is it to be found in the capital, on a seaside pier, out in the country side, or on a mountain peak? Or must he leave the mainland to understand what is special about being British?

Episode 4

Episode 4

The Japanese recognize the British genius for invention; they've calculated that sixty per cent of "the things we take for granted" came out of a British mind. Join Bill as he tries to understand what makes the inhabitants of this small island so good at innovation.

Episode 5

Episode 5

"I'm not into dukes and earls - outside of jazz music", states Bill, who examines two very different views of the way in which heritage forms the backbone of Britain. From Blenheim Palace to a Glaswegian pub and on to a socialite who spends more on her clothes than a colliery band spends on their brass instruments, Bill observes Britain's heritage, north and south.

Episode 6

Episode 6

In this final program, Bill returns to the spot in Britain that means the most to him, and travels from a south-coast geology lesson with adventurer Redmond O'Hanlon to the north most tip of mainland Britain - somewhere more remote and more beautiful than even John O'Groats.