How the Victorians Built Britain

The Great British Holiday (2x4)

Air date: Jan 25, 2020

Michael Buerk discovers how the Victorians spent their leisure time, heading to Blackpool to learn how the seaside mini-break was transformed from a perk of the wealthy to a British institution. He steps onto one of the town's famous piers to learn how, thanks to architect and civil engineer Eugenius Birch, these humble loading aids became entertainment hubs. Michael also hears how a rivalry between two showbusiness giants resulted in some of the area's most glorious architecture and how the advent of electricity fuelled the town's tourist industry, via its world famous illuminations.