Channel 5 has commissioned Firecracker Films to explore the length of one of the largest, and most impressive remnants of the Roman Empire, Hadrian’s Wall.
Walking Hadrian’s Wall With Robson Green is fronted by actor and presenter Robson Green, and will be a shown on Channel 5 over three 1-hour episodes from Thursday 14th January 2021.
Robson will walk the wall, which stretches 80-miles from coast to coast in the north of England, and served as the northerly frontier of the Roman Empire. The journey starts at Wallsend in the east, and ends in the isolated Cumbrian village of Bowness in the west.
Along the way Robson will meet “quirky characters, visit nearby landmarks and take in dramatic scenery across a landscape rich in history.”
Elspeth O’Hare, Creative Director of Firecracker Scotland said; “We are delighted to work with Robson on this series. Although he has never walked the wall before, it cuts through his home town and the area where he grew up. He will bring such warmth and humour to this iconic journey.”
The series director is Sam Palmer, series producer is Jane Handa and executive producer is Elspeth O’Hare.
Walking Hadrian’s Wall with Robson Green represents a return to Channel 5 for Robson, who previously fronted the Extreme Fishing franchise for the broadcaster.
Episode 1
Thursday 14th January 2021: From Segedunum in the east, Robson sets off on his 84-mile journey. He discovers the boyish thrill of geocaching, sees how some locals repurposed the wall for their own needs, and has a dip in the River Tyne.
Episode 2
Thursday 21st January 2021: Robson travels from Chollerford to Walltown Crags, and learns more about how the Romans took care of themselves so far from home. He samples natural cuisine and checks out the spa at Chesters Fort, before paying a visit to the latrines of Housesteads Fort, which were once the envy of an empire. He goes on to pit his fishing abilities against an angling rival, gladiator-style, before climbing Steel Rigg to reach the route’s highest summit.
Episode 3
Thursday 28th January 2021: Robson gears up for the remaining 46 miles of his trek along Hadrian’s Wall. After an early start in the shadow of Winshield Crags he crosses the border from Northumbria to Cumbria at Gilsland, where he finds playful graffiti from the Romans. Moving on, he learns how to link a Cumbrian sausage, takes to the skies for a bird’s-eye view of Carlisle, and finally reaches the end of his journey at Bowness-on-Solway. Last in the series.
Online Reviews
“Green is engaging, drawing us into his life story. The Partridge-isms came thick and fast though. But Green is likeable and it did seem that he was in on the joke. The history sprinkled throughout was informative. But more than anything, you could tell this was a subject close to Green’s heart. His enthusiasm was infectious.”
Anita Singh, The Telegraph
“Robson Green: Walking Coast to Coast could easily fall into the ideas folder marked ‘Monkey tennis’ and ‘Millennium barn dance with Jet from Gladiators at Yeovil aerodrome’. You can see why Channel 5 commissioned it, though: cheeky Northumbrian lad, likes fishing and the outdoors, walks the length of Hadrian’s Wall. The problem was the disjointed nature of yet another telly travelogue that promised much, but was all over the place. Green could have been walking down the A408 to Uxbridge for all he was capable of evoking historical magic.”
Ben Dowell, The Times
“Robson has a knack for chatting to anyone, though most of his conversation is about himself. But Robson’s no historian. He couldn’t understand why Hadrian wanted a wall, and thought the Roman emperor must have been a bit of a bighead. Imagine! As if any egomaniac would ever become obsessed with building a wall.”
Christopher Stevens, Daily Mail
