BBC Two has commissioned a major new TV series documenting the huge number of archaeological discoveries being made along the length of the HS2 route.
Made by Lion Television, Britain’s Biggest Dig (working title) has been granted exclusive access to HS2’s archaeology teams, offering a unique opportunity to record and explore the biggest archaeological excavation that has ever taken place in Britain. The series will reveal the stories of people from the Stone Age right up to the 20th century – not just on the route itself, but right across the country
“This is a major series following this unprecedented archaeological project. The HS2 digs promise to reveal secrets throughout a vast timeline of British history and I am delighted that BBC Two will be following the journey.” Patrick Holland, Controller, BBC Two commented. “It’s thrilling to be there from the very start of what is unquestionably one of the most significant archaeological endeavours in British history. It promises to make us re-interrogate what we think we know about British history and give us an extraordinary and privileged insight into the past.” Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual commented.

“This ‘line through time’ is a unique and exciting opportunity to explore the story of Britain through a single massive archaeological project that promises many exceptional discoveries. We will be there every step of the way with the HS2 archaeologists, seeing what they turn up and following it to the labs for analysis, and tracking down key documents, enabling us to piece together the wider story of Britain through the millennia and the lives of the people, ordinary and extraordinary, who lived here before us.” Bill Locke, Director of Specialist Factual, Lion TV commented.
Mr. Locke explained that throughout the archaeological works, cameras will capture what is happening on site, from excavating huge Georgian and Victorian inner-city graveyards to finding the remains of Romano-British homes. The series will also dig deep into the archives to tell the stories of those who lived and were buried on the route – from painters and London prizefighters to medieval peasants and lords. With the use of the latest archaeological science, it will also explore the wider stories about what these sites can tell us, including where people came from and the food that they ate.