The Great British Dig: Hugh Dennis to front new More4 archaeology series

Hugh Dennis is to front a brand new archaeology series on Channel 4’s More4.

The Great British Dig: History in Your Back Garden will air for four episodes following a successful pilot in 2020.

In The Great British Dig, actor and comedian Hugh Dennis will be joined by an expert team of archaeologists to excavate back gardens around Britain.

They will attempt to uncover the lost history buried beneath our lawns and flower beds – recruiting local people to get digging too.

The experts joining Hugh on series are Dr Chloe Duckworth, archaeological scientist and lecturer at Newcastle University, archaeologist Richard Taylor and field archaeologist Natasha Bilson.

They will be seen heading to Newcastle in search of a Roman fort, as well as attempting to unearth the long-lost Lenton Priory in Nottingham.

Meanwhile in North Yorkshire, they must dig deep in the hope of locating a Viking graveyard, and they’re also on the hunt for a secret army base in South Shields.

Hugh Dennis said: “The Great British Dig is a fantastic format which combines finding out about the history of where you live and the surprising things that lie under your own back garden.

“It’s kind of a community archaeology project.”

Commissioning Editor Tim Hancock added: “There’s something properly magical about finding important pieces of British history in your own back garden.

“I can’t wait for viewers to discover what Hugh and the team dug up.”

The Great British Dig: History in Your Back Garden begins on Wednesday, 17 February at 9PM on More4.

The series will be produced by Strawberry Blond TV.

Steve Wynne, CEO, Strawberry Blond TV, said: “The history we unearthed right under people’s noses was truly incredible.

“Who knew you could have a Roman fort, a Viking burial ground or William the Conqueror’s lost priory buried under the petunias?”