FRANK CLARKE: SIMPLY PAINTING IN CHINA
(2011) 13 x 26 Minutes
In his first new series for 5 years Frank Clarke – the world’s leading TV
artist, visits the People’s Republic of China to sample that country’s ancient heritage and witness its current cultural explosion.
Along the way Frank traces the footsteps of the warrior Genghis Khan, meets with some of China’s renowned artists, tried his hand at some ancient Chinese crafts and of course selects some wonderful subjects for the viewers to paint.
NORTHERN IRELAND GREATEST HUANTS
(2009/2010) 10 X 26 minutes for BBC N.I.
In this gripping ten part series (for BBC Northern Ireland), the producers have teamed up with Psychic Investigator/TV Presenter Andy Mathews, international Clairvoyant Medium Marion Goodfellow, and The Northern Ireland Paranormal Society (N.I.P.S.) to discover just how haunted Ireland really is.
Greatest Haunts is not another Most Haunted. This series delivers new scientific research and experimentation never before seen on TV, to gather
evidence for and against the existence of ghosts.
The series is honest, true to life and very fly-on-thewall in it’s approach. Using a combination of research, clairvoyance and an arsenal of high tech equipment, the presenters examine alleged hauntings by ghosts and phantoms throughout the country, while exhuming rich historical background on each place under investigation.
At every venue, local participation and expert knowledge is involved.
Each week our intrepid experts find themselves in a variety of locations, as they attempt to uncover the mysteries behind the legends, curses and hauntings associated with specific historic buildings, in an effort to establish if the reported events can be logically explained or not.
These include Galgorm Castle, whose original master still haunts the building, 350 years after he reputedly sold his soul to the devil; Armagh Jail whose dark, violent history dates back to the late 1700s and the 19th century Limavady Workhouse, home to not one, but two ghosts. Northern Ireland’s Greatest Haunts is fresh, informative, entertaining and at times pretty scary!
ON THE FLY: FLY-FISHING IN IRELAND
(2010) 6 x 26 Minutes
Ireland is a fly fisherman’s paradise as the lakes and rivers of Ireland, abundant with fish, are prime fly fishing regions.
In season, anglers from all over the world are attracted to these teeming waters. In this entertaining new TV series, stunning landscapes and memorable characters come together in a fascinating look at one of Ireland’s most popular pastimes.
In On the Fly, the country’s leading chefs take to the rivers and lakes of Ireland to learn how to fly fish. If they succeed in landing a catch, they then cook and serve it up in their own distinctive style.
WANTED: FARMERS REVISITED
(2008) 1 x 54 minutes
In this final episode we get an insight into what the Elliott family’s respective lives are like now they’ve been in South Dakota for a few years.
We learn how the kids have settled into American High School, how Dorothy gave up her nursing career to work alongside Rodney at the dairy and how the laid back locals have welcomed them with open arms, even if they think Rodney is an eccentric Irishman.
Rodney and Dorothy and the kids have no doubt that they made the right move, but they’ll always be Fermanagh people at heart.
WANTED : FARMERS
(2006/7) 2 X 40 minutes
The absorbing story of Fermanagh dairy farmer, Rodney Elliott who, in 2006, swapped his 190 acre farm in McGuires Bridge after 24 years of farming it, to move 4,000 miles, with his wife and three kids, to invest US$7,500,000 in a state of the art dairy farm in South Dakota, U.S.A.
Filmed over four years these programmes follow the fortunes of this intrepid Northern Irish farmer whom many initially considered crazy for swopping the lakelands of County Fermangh for the wind swept plains of South Dakota.
In February 2004, Rodney and Dorothy Elliott spotted an ad in the local farming press, “WANTED: DAIRY FARMERS”.
Answering that ad was to dramatically change the Elliott family’s lives by exposing them to the wider horizons offered them in the U.S.A., from both a business and family point of view.
At that time, the dairy industry in Northern Ireland was in crisis, while the South Dakota dairy industry was going through major changes. Promises of cheap land, high milk prices and no state income tax made a move across the Atlantic very tempting indeed.
Two years later, Rodney, his wife Dorothy – a nurse manager in Enniskillen, and their three children David, James and Rebecca, embarked on a life changing decision to leave Fermanagh for the wide open spaces of South Dakota to set up a 1400-head dairy farm.
In the spirit of the classic adventure story the road to South Dakota proved to be a rocky one and the Elliotts had to overcome family opposition, an outbreak of TB in his Irish herd, and intractable US immigration officials before they finally made it to the USA.
WHAT MAKES THE TOURIST ONE OF THE HOTTEST ATTRACTIONS ON TV?
Travel tips: Each episode features “Travel Tips” such as which hotel room items are complementary (Rick learns quickly that lamps and end tables are not compliments of the hotel), and how to eat lobster correctly and without much mess (in other words, not with Rick!).
Good Eats: Whether it is Seattle’s twelve egg omelet or gourmet cod tongues from St. John’s, “Good Eats” will fill you in (and fill you up) on the best places to eat in the city.
History: Rick explores the history of each city, from the stunning architecture of Montreal or Seattle’s earthquake rendered Underground City.
Humor: Whether he’s scaring the pants off of people as a wax head in Victoria or demonstrating how to pitch fish in Seattle, Rick’s humor shines through as he hams it up with local folks.
Join Rick as he rockets through 39 fascinating destinations, seeking out adventure and advice from local merchants, tour guides, children, street performers and experienced travelers.
Whether hunting out the hottest night club in town, or pursuing great experiences for the whole family, Rick will satisfy the explorer in you and make you want to join him - again and again.
Simply Painting Around The World
Series 7 - (2001) 26 X 26 mins.
Once again, presenter Frank Clarke is abroad, this time in rural France and Ireland on his painting instruction odyssey. In France, Frank visits such landmarks as Mont-St-Michel, with its gothic architecture, the Beachs and cemeteries at Normandy, and Rouen among other locations, the latter being the birthplace of Joan of Arc.
Back in Ireland, Frank stops in the scenic town of Avoca, where the hugely popular TV series Ballykissangel used to be filmed. Later he ferry hops to three West coast islands, namely Inis Boffin, Inis Turk and Clare Island, to wrap up what is sure to be another very popular painting series.
Also Available: Series 1 - Series 2 - Series 3 - Series 4 - Series 5 - Series 6 -