Restoration (TV series)
Viewers voted to save historic buildings with lottery funding.
Restoration is a BBC television series that first aired in 2003, in which viewers voted to decide which listed building in urgent need of repair would receive a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The host across all three series was Griff Rhys Jones, joined by resident 'ruin detectives' Marianne Suhr and Ptolemy Dean, who investigated each building during the heats.
Quick Facts
- Runtime
- 60 mins (including advertisements)
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Starring
- Griff Rhys Jones
- Marianne Suhr
- Ptolemy Dean
- Channel
- BBC (BBC Two)
- First aired
- 8 August 2003
- Last aired
- 25 April 2009
- Company
- Banijay (BBC Television)
Facts from the source article.
First series
Thirty buildings competed in ten regional heats in 2003, with telephone vote money added to the prize fund. Viewers chose which neglected building should receive a Heritage Lottery Grant of £3m. The winning building was the Victoria Baths in Manchester, but bureaucratic and technical hurdles delayed spending; final planning approval came in September 2005, and the first restoration phase began on 19 March 2007. Kate Humble co-hosted the 2003 live grand final.
Second series
A second series of 21 buildings in 7 regional heats aired on BBC Two in summer 2004. The winner was the Old Grammar School and Saracen's Head in Kings Norton, Birmingham. Both buildings closed to the public in July 2006 for archaeological investigation; restoration began in February 2007, and they officially reopened on 13 June 2008. The 2004 live grand final was co-hosted by Natasha Kaplinsky. Companion programmes included Restored to Glory, Restoration Nation, and Restoration: You Make It Happen. On 4 September 2005, Rhys Jones presented an update on the featured buildings.
Third series
In August 2006, BBC Two aired a third season called Restoration Village, hosted by Griff Rhys Jones. This series highlighted buildings in smaller communities, with 21 structures competing across seven regional heats. It also offered updates on earlier featured buildings. Chedham's Yard, an early 19th-century blacksmith's yard, won. On April 22, 2009, Rhys Jones hosted a 60-minute special, Restoration Revisited, which tracked progress on 72 buildings from all three series.
The Perfect Village
In 2006, BBC Four aired The Perfect Village, an architectural travelogue series hosted by Ptolemy Dean. It examined twelve UK villages as examples of rural life. The series concluded by naming Heighington in County Durham the nation’s "perfect village." Episodes featured Dedham, Alderley Edge, Bourton-on-the-Water, Ardglass, Rogart, Tonyrefail, Milton Abbas, Polperro, Wye, Silver End, and Poundbury, ending with a program exploring the elements of an ideal village.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Restoration (TV series) first air?
Restoration first aired on 8 August 2003.
When did Restoration (TV series) end?
Restoration last aired on 25 April 2009.
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