Britain's Secret Seas

Original version

BBC Four

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

BBC Four HD

BBC HD

BBC One

BBC Two Scotland

BBC Two Northern Ireland

BBC Two England

England

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

BBC Two Wales

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

BBC One HD

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

BBC One West

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

BBC One London

London

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One North West

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One Yorkshire

BBC One Oxfordshire

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Wales

Wales

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

Paul Rose

Frank Pope

Tooni Mahto

Paul Olding

Sophie Todd

Gary Hunter

Britain's Secret Seas: Episode 4: The Bustling South

Documentaries

The Bustling South

Episode 4

Episode 4: The Bustling South

BBC Two - Britain's Secret Seas, The Bustling South

A look at Britain's busy southern seas, which are littered with wrecks.

Documentary series exploring the seas surrounding Great Britain. The team explores our busy southern seas, which are littered with wrecks.

In the final programme of the series, explorer Paul Rose, marine biologist Tooni Mahto and underwater archaeologist Frank Pope explore our busy southern shores. 

As one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, our southern seas are littered with wrecks. Outside Poole harbour, the team join an archaeological excavation of a mysterious 17th-century ship, bearing incredibly ornate carvings of a merman. Frank reveals this is one of the most important underwater discoveries since the Mary Rose. Paul joins the dive team working on the wreck to try to discover where this ship came from. But it's a race against time as the timbers are being destroyed; Tooni wants to find out why. 

Frank and Tooni examine how we balance the needs of marine life with those of people when the two come into conflict. Studland Bay in Dorset is home to a thriving population of spiny seahorses living amongst the rare eelgrass beds. Only identified as breeding in the area seven years ago, the intensive use of the bay, boat moorings and pleasure boats' anchors are threatening the seahorses' fragile eelgrass habitat. 

Paul dives to two wrecks in the search of the mighty conger eel to find out if, when he comes face to face with one, these incredible beasts will live up to their fearsome reputation. 

As the tourists hit the roller coaster and dodgems on Brighton Pier, they know little of the wonder beneath them. Tooni dives underneath Brighton Pier to reveal one of the best places on the south coast to see a great variety of our native marine life. 

Out in Lyme Bay, Frank dives the wreck of an experimental World War II submarine.

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.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Britain's Secret Seas

Episode 4: The Bustling South

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Series

BBC Four HD

About BBC Four