The creative team behind Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman revealed the secrets of their award-winning show at an RTS Scotland event in late March.
The BBC One series, which is made by Glasgow indie Raise the Roof Productions, was named best Daytime programme at last year’s RTS Scotland Awards.
In the programme, Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman takes celebrity guests back to their childhood holidays. Over two series, the likes of Esther Rantzen, Nicolas Parsons and Ann Widdecombe have revisited the Isle of Wight, Studland in Dorset and the Lake District, respectively.
The RTS Scotland Awards judges praised the show for “brilliant casting of personalities” and the “fantastic use of archive and nice interweaving of social history with fun”.
Executive Producer Deborah Dunnett and Creative Director Andrew Jackson outlined the programme’s development at the event, which was held at STV’s Glasgow studio. The format draws on both the power of childhood holiday memories and the talent of its presenter, Goodman.
Production Manager Kathryn Burnett and Series Producer Jonny Wharton explained how they plan and shoot a multi-episode series, and look after the on-screen talent as they take them around the UK. They also discussed how the programme dovetails with the BBC’s daytime audience demographic.
Reaction at the event was positive, with the RTS Scotland audience welcoming the opportunity to find out how a factual series is stitched together. “You don’t often find out what happens behind the scenes, and the planning and research that goes into it,” said one member of the audience.