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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.

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BBC Two is a TV channel that started broadcasting on the 20th April 1964.

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Britain Afloat

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A history of the British people told through six of its best-loved boats.

Mary-Ann Ochota discovers a history of the British people told through six of its best-loved boats.

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

BBC One West Midlands

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

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Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

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Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

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BBC One West Midlands HD

Mary-Ann Ochota

Ed Barlow

Diana Hare

Britain Afloat: Series 1: The Coracle

The Coracle

29/09/2017

Series 1

BBC One - Britain Afloat, Series 1, The Coracle

Mary-Ann Ochota finds out more about the ancient coracle.

Mary-Ann Ochota finds out about the coracle, an ancient boat that can be made from twigs and a bed sheet, yet which has saved lives in desperate times.

Mary-Ann Ochota explores the story of the coracle, a boat that's as simple as they come, and which some believe has been on our waters for anything up to 40,000 years. Found all over the world, the coracle comes in many different shapes, often determined by local materials, conditions of rivers or the intended purpose of the boat. No longer as common a sight as they once were, there are still commercial coracle fishermen working the rivers of west Wales. 

Mary-Ann meets a man whose family has been coracle fishing the same river for over 300 years and joins a night-time fishing expedition. In Ironbridge, Shropshire, she hears how coraclemen led poaching expeditions to help locals in times of economic crisis. She also makes her very own coracle, which she uses to race in the annual Ironbridge Coracle Regatta, an event that proves there is still an enduring popularity to these little boats, even if the focus is now very much on fun.

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The Coracle

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