Looking at solstice celebrations

Charlie Cooper’s Myth Country is returning to BBC Three for a winter solstice special.

The one-off, half-hour show will explore winter festivals across the country from barrel burning in Devon to Morris dancing in Gloucestershire.

It follows the three-part  which aired on BBC Three in October, with the first episode reaching a total of 1.4million viewers in the first 28 days after release. 

The This Country co-creator said: ‘I’m thrilled that the BBC cameras will follow me again as I explore our wonderful, wild and sometimes hair-raising winter festivals, which for centuries have brightened up the darker months.’

The show is being made by production comedy Naked West, whose managing director Tom O’Brien said: ‘Charlie Cooper’s Myth Country immediately connected with a large and engaged audience on the BBC. 

‘We’re excited to bring it back for another look at a special moment in the year’s calendar - one steeped in lore, tradition and storytelling. Charlie will continue to feed his passion for the weird and the wonderful.’

Part of the new episode was shot at the Barrel Burning festival in Ottery Saint Mary, Devon, which has been held every November since the 17th Century. The townspeople believe that by lighting barrels filled with tar and running through the streets, they can protect their community from malevolent forces.

The broadcast date for Charlie Cooper’s Myth Country: Winter Solstice has yet to be announced. 

Published: 28 Nov 2024