The Islanders

Paul Murton sets out to experience island life today. He uncovers the past and reveals its connections with the present, pointing to the quirky, the surprising and the beautiful lying just offshore.

After centuries of Bonnie Boats speeding Over the Sea to Skye, in 1995 a new bridge was built between the island and the mainland. Privately funded, this was to be a toll bridge. Not only that, it turned out to be the most expensive toll bridge in Europe.

A £97 million contract was made in 2015 to build two new ferries on the Clyde, they are still not finished, but the bill to the taxpayer stands at a quarter of a billion and rising. Mark Daly investigates what went wrong at the Ferguson’s shipyard, and raises questions about the tender process that saw the contract awarded in 2015. Meeting with workers, experts and the islanders whose lifeline ferry services have been affected, Daly reveals the inside story of the ferry fiasco which has gripped Scotland.

Arguably the greatest tragedy to befall the west coast of Scotland remains, to this day, largely unknown. On the event of the 100th anniversary, the people of Lewis tell their story to the rest of the nation through the words and testimonies of the islanders. On 1 January 1919, having survived the First World War, in excess of 250 naval men were returning home to celebrate their first New Year of peace. But in the blackest of nights, in a rising gale, HMY Iolaire sank within yards of the Lewis coast. The Western Isles sent 6,000 men to serve in the First World War, and sustained the heaviest casualty rate of any area of British Empire, losing over 1,000 men by the end of the war.

Arguably the greatest tragedy to befall the west coast of Scotland remains, to this day, largely unknown. On the event of the 100th anniversary, the people of Lewis tell their story to the rest of the nation through the words and testimonies of the islanders. On 1 January 1919, having survived the First World War, in excess of 250 naval men were returning home to celebrate their first New Year of peace. But in the blackest of nights, in a rising gale, HMY Iolaire sank within yards of the Lewis coast. The Western Isles sent 6,000 men to serve in the First World War, and sustained the heaviest casualty rate of any area of British Empire, losing over 1,000 men by the end of the war.

Colin Prior is one of the world’s most acclaimed landscape photographers, whose signature shots are seen throughout the world and show that Scotland stands comparison with any other place on earth. We follow Colin over the course of a year as he sets out on an ambitious new project. He has set himself the hardest of challenges – to produce a body of work that will draw attention to the highly precarious nature of life on four islands – Harris, Lewis, Eigg and Canna. Yet Colin’s work is about more than just photography - it comes from a deep understanding of each place and the islanders.

Off the coast of Ireland, Ardal O'Hanlon unearths the rich history, vibrant wildlife and resilient communities thriving in a realm where the ocean reigns supreme.

Written and presented by actor and historian John Nettles, Channel Islands at War is an emotional examination of the German invasion and occupation of the Channel Islands and the lasting legacy it left on the islands. John Nettles has researched the occupation since first arriving there in 1981. The leading man in Midsomer Murders, says the islanders’ attitude towards the occupation remains ‘a potent mixture of revulsion and fascination’. This series both reflects the turbulent years 1940-45 and John’s continuing passion for the Islands.