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Britain's Secret Seas

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The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

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Paul Rose

Frank Pope

Tooni Mahto

Paul Olding

Sophie Todd

Gary Hunter

Britain's Secret Seas: Episode 1: Giants of the West

Documentaries

Giants of the West

Episode 1

Episode 1: Giants of the West

BBC Two - Britain's Secret Seas, Giants of the West

An encounter with Britain's largest fish, the basking shark, and giant spiny spider crabs.

Documentary series exploring the seas surrounding Great Britain. The team looks at Britain's largest fish, the basking shark, and giant spiny spider crabs.

The team uncovers the world of the giants that reside in and on our western seas.

A few metres off the Cornish shore, the team study Britain's largest fish, the basking shark. Despite the fact that they grow up to ten metres long, little is known about them, which makes effective conservation very difficult. In an exceptional encounter, the team is surrounded by up to 12 sharks as they feed on microscopic plankton. 

Their shark expedition then takes them north to the Isle of Man. Working alongside local scientists, they take shark DNA samples using a kitchen scourer in order to assess the genetic health and long-term fitness of these great leviathans. The team also runs into a giant swarm of jellyfish.

In the waters of south Wales, Tooni encounters an invading army of giant spiny spider crabs. These creatures boast a leg span of over a metre across, and Tooni reveals that they come into the shallow waters every year to find a mate.

On Lundy Island off the Devon coast, Frank assesses whether the island's protected underwater No Take Zone could be used as a template to establish a nationwide network of marine nature reserves right around our island. 

Frank also reveals how Great Britain still relies on the sea to import goods. He boards one of the biggest transatlantic container ships in the world, The Atlantic Companion, as the vast ship brings its cargo into Liverpool Docks.

In treacherous waters off the Isles of Scilly, Paul dives the largest shipwreck in British waters to assess the legacy of the worst ecological disaster to affect our shores so far; the ill-fated Torrey Canyon oil tanker.

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Factual: Science & Nature

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Revealing the stunning marine life and mysterious wrecks of Britain's seas.

Featuring glorious underwater photography revealing Britain's native waters to be as dramatic, colourful and surprising as the other oceans of the world.

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Britain's Secret Seas

Episode 1: Giants of the West

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