In 1939, driven by a desire for fame and fortune English amateur Tommy Godwin cycled a world record 75,065 miles in one year setting out from home each day through bitter winters and the blackouts of World War Two. He became the fastest person to cycle 100,000 miles in just 500 days. After this epic feat of endurance, Tommy had to learn to walk again and uncurl his hands! The madcap record has only been attempted by a handful of determined souls and Tommy’s record stood for 76 years making it one of the greatest, but also most overlooked sporting achievements. Ultra endurance athlete and round the world cycling record holder Mark Beaumont is on a mission to shine a light on Tommy’s ride. He delves deeper into Tommy’s story and finds out if he has the physical and mental stamina to take on Godwin’s record.
A fascinating insight into the role of the bicycle in the First World War - from reconnaissance to transporting ammunition, historian and cycling enthusiast Jeremy Banning explores stories from the battlefield. Ollie Bridgewood discovers the role cycle scouts played in the Army Cycling Corp and rides the original bikes used in the conflict. Mark Beaumont meets the grandson of a WW1 soldier who rode for the Highland Cyclist Battalion and survived brutal combat on the front line.
In 2017, Mark Beaumont took on an epic ride around Britain in the build up to his Around the World record attempt. Covering over 3500 miles in under 15 days, this would be a critical trial of all the elements needed to become the fastest person on a bike to circumnavigate the globe. Challenging both his mental and physical resilience, Mark endures Britain’s most punishing landscapes and brutal weather as this journey pushes both his and the support team to untold levels; as Mark said himself: “The stuff that is miserable at the time becomes life affirming, career affirming stuff!”
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1937: Young Emily is trapped in a nightmare, chronic agoraphobia and a strange, domineering mother have turned their sprawling gothic mansion into a prison. On the brink of madness, Emily is haunted by lurking malevolent forces, her only hope, the desperate belief her missing father could save her from this living hell. But as she longs for his return, Emily is tormented by visions of a sinister, gnarled black hand—a spectre haunting her earliest memories. It is a homage to the unsettling atmosphere of 1950s horror cinema, echoing the terror of THE HAUNTING and the ghostly dread of THE INNOCENTS.
