South West National Trust properties star in new George Clarke TV series on Channel 4
Airing weekly from Sunday 23 August 2020, a new six-part Channel 4 series presented by George Clarke offers a behind-the-scenes look at some of the National Trust’s most remarkable properties during their closure to visitors. Featured in the show are 11 houses, gardens and coastal sites in the South West, including Hidcote, Tyntesfield, Kingston Lacy, Studland Bay, Corfe Castle and Killerton.
‘George Clarke’s National Trust Unlocked’ sees George discover some of the UK’s most impressive historic homes; finding out more about the fascinating architecture, design and stories behind each property. George will also be taking walks around the stunning gardens, open countryside and spectacular surrounding scenery of these treasured estates.
Every year around 27 million visits are made to the National Trust’s 300 houses and gardens, but this all came to a halt in March as tourism sites across the country closed. In this six-part series, George Clarke is granted special access to some of these historic and extraordinary places, delving into the hidden recesses that visitors don’t normally get to see.
George Clarke comments: “I know lockdown has been unbelievably tough for so many people and that’s why I feel honoured and privileged to have been given the most amazing access to show the people of Britain some of the most wonderful buildings, gardens and landscapes we have across the nation.”
While adhering to social distancing, he will meet the people keeping these sites in working order until they are ready to be re-opened. George will also be joined by his faithful four-legged companion, Loki the Siberian husky, to take walks around some of the most scenic outdoor spaces in and around the National Trust’s properties.
George adds: “The history of our architecture tells the stories of our past, both good and bad, and the National Trust grounds and walks have made me realise, now more than ever, just how important our open, green and beautiful spaces are to our happiness, well-being and mental health. What an opportunity for me to explore so many properties, many of which I’ve never seen before. Stay safe, sit back and enjoy the series, because it’s the most unique series of programmes I’ve ever made.”
As lockdown eases, the National Trust is re-opening gardens, parks and some houses on a pre-booking basis. Tickets must be booked in advance via the website, with new batches of tickets released each Friday for the following week. The conservation charity also recommends that visitors check the relevant property web pages before travelling to ensure they have the latest access and facilities information. Some of the locations featured in George Clarke’s National Trust Unlocked remain closed at the time of writing.
John Orna-Ornstein, Director of Culture and Engagement at the National Trust comments: “We are really looking forward to welcoming all our visitors back to our historic properties as we slowly continue to re-open. In the meantime, we are delighted that Channel 4 viewers will be able to enjoy some of these special places from their homes as George Clarke explores diverse sites, from grand stately homes to quirky cottages and gardens and meets the staff who have been caring for them during lockdown.”
Tune in to Channel 4 on Sundays at 9pm from 23rd August to see behind the scenes of these special properties. After the first episode has aired, the whole series will also be available to stream on-demand at www.channel4.com
