Jill Halfpenny’s Easter Journeys: when is BBC One series on TV and where is it filmed - including Lindisfarne

The two-part series, which airs on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, will see Halfpenny on a walking tour of the North East
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Jill Halfpenny – the actor best known for appearing in Coronation Street and The Holiday – is presenting a new travelogue programme for BBC One this Easter.

The two-part series, which airs on Good Friday and Easter Sunday, will see Halfpenny on a walking tour of the North East, explaining how the location is still significant in Christianity today.

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Here’s everything you need to know about Jill Halfpenny’s Easter Journeys.

What’s it about?

Jill Halfpenny takes viewers on a tour through the North East and Scottish borders, explaining its significance to Christianity and the unique traditions still commemorated there as part of Easter celebrations.

Where does she go?

In the first episode, Jill Halfpenny visits Hexham (where she joins Abbey bellringers), Corbidge Roman Town (where she learns about the connection between Roman gods and Christianity), and Lauder.

She then goes on to visit Jedburgh, and initiates the Jedburgh Hand Ba’, a local tradition that marks the beginning of Easter. She continues on to Peebles (meeting a chocolatier), to Cherrytree farm (discussing spring), and finally to Lindisfarne, where artist Mary Fleeson teaches her about the monks that used to live there.

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In episode two, Jill Halfpenny returns to her hometown of Gateshead, where she meets artist Sir Anthony Gormley to discuss the Angel of the North, which he created. She then visits an Anglo-Saxon village at Jarrow Hall, learning about The Venerable Bede – the person who first calculated when Easter should fall. Her journey ends at Durham cathedral.

What is Egg Jarping?

In episode two, Jill Halfpenny visits The Hearts Of Oak pub in Peterlee. There, she rediscovers a traditional game from her youth: Egg Jarping. The pub hosts the official world championships every Easter.

Egg Jarping – sometimes called egg fighting or egg boxing, which might better help you imagine what it actually is – is a competition where one competitor tries to smash another competitors’ egg with their own.

In 2012, the Guardian published this guide to Egg Jarping, based on recommendations from the World Egg Jarping Association, which does genuinely exist. They recommend boiling an egg for ten minutes before the “dunsh” – the technical sporting term for when one egg smashes into another.

Is there a trailer?

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Not currently, no, but we’ll update this post if one turns up.

Where and how can I watch it?

The first episode of Jill Halfpenny’s Easter Journeys will air at 1:30pm on Good Friday (April 15).

The second episode will air at 11:25am on Easter Sunday (April 17). Each episode is an hour in duration.

Why should I watch it?

It looks like the sort of mildly-diverting-but-surprisingly-interesting programme that makes for easy viewing at Christmas, so why not try the Easter equivalent?

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