- 8 hours ago
A Very British Christmas Season 1 Episode 02 Bamburgh Castle br EnglishMovie cdrama drama engsub chinesedramaengsub movieshortfull
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Light, fancy baubles, tinsel and fairy lights. Job done.
00:06Unless you're decorating this, or this, or this.
00:14There are three things that hold Christmas up at Castle Howard.
00:16Chicken wire, glue gun sticks, and cable ties.
00:20One crack team of Christmas crafters are responsible for bringing the festive season
00:26into some of Britain's best-loved buildings.
00:31The logistics is a little bit more than moving boxes of baubles around.
00:37For Dave, Laura, Brian, and the rest.
00:43Juliana, Eve, Theodora, your end down.
00:46Christmas is a full-time job.
00:48Always get there in the end, through panic, or coffee, or gin.
00:52This is the bit that no-one ever sees backstage.
00:55Top of the tree.
00:56Cute.
00:57Designer, an ex-theatre producer, Charlotte.
01:00How do we feel about buying a kilometre of green lights?
01:03And business partner, former costume designer, Adrian.
01:07If they'd been purchased at full price, it was over £7,000.
01:10Right, OK.
01:11Eight years of Christmas installations just keep getting bigger.
01:15Well, it totally looks like it's not going to fit.
01:18Bonder.
01:18I'm just worried about that statue.
01:20And riskier.
01:21Stop! Stop!
01:22Side-stepping priceless antiques and cautious clients.
01:30How can they make an armoury?
01:32Christmas.
01:32Christmas-y, yeah.
01:34The clock is ticking.
01:35Three, two, one.
01:37To doors opening.
01:39God, it's fabulous.
01:41For Christmas.
01:42Next year's ambition is...
01:46Not to break the team.
01:47Bamburgh Castle on the Northumberland coast.
02:04A mind-boggling mix of Anglo-Saxon foundations, Norman fortifications and Victorian restoration.
02:11Home to kings, knights, legends and ghosts, this fairytale castle has seen more than a thousand
02:19Christmases come and go.
02:22But there's no doubt that last year's was the one with the most glitter.
02:32I'm so thrilled with what we did last year at Bamburgh.
02:34It was decadent, wasn't it?
02:35Making the most of the castle's history, a Christmas through time, thrilled visitors
02:41with everything from a banquet for Henry VIII to a full-size Viking ship.
02:49The fact we do it in four days, it's such a fast turnaround.
02:52It is.
02:53It was the fifth Christmas Charlotte and Adrian have conjured up for owners the Watson Armstrong
02:58family.
03:00The loveliest family to work with.
03:03They're quite upfront in telling us if they don't like something, but then once it's signed
03:07off, it's like, over to you, Charlotte and Adrian, you're the experts.
03:16When you come over the hill and you see the castle in front of you, the heart's well.
03:23Frankie and Claire don't just own this piece of history, it's actually their home.
03:28And already they're wondering how to turn an 11th century battleground into something
03:33a bit more festive, yet again.
03:37It's so difficult, isn't it, to think, how can they make an armory?
03:42Christmasy.
03:42Christmasy, yeah.
03:43How will Charlotte and her team transform it into a non-weapons room?
03:49Weapons, yes.
03:50They're very clever.
03:51Fantastic.
03:53I don't know what goes on in their minds.
03:54It's incredible.
03:55Bambera Castle is open all year round, but Christmas is their busiest time, providing
04:03almost 30% of its annual revenue.
04:07And at 1,000 years old, it's a bit of a money pit.
04:12It's not a sob story, but we get nothing from any external sources for looking after Bambera
04:18Castles.
04:19And the thing's getting more expensive.
04:20In the Great Hall, we're doing a roof.
04:22And, you know, that's going to be seven-figure sum to repair that roof.
04:26Scaffolding is going to be well into the six figures.
04:28So, you know, it's massive.
04:30That's money that we are spending that the visitors are bringing into the castle.
04:35Without them, there would be no castle.
04:38It's early summer, and at Christmas headquarters in Yorkshire, this is where the magic begins.
04:51Juliana's got 60,000 baubles to sort.
04:54Along with Claire and Chrissie in floristry, Erin in costume, and Dave in the workshop, everyone's
05:02determined to make Christmas at Bambera the best one yet.
05:05Safety first.
05:06Charlotte and Adrian have decided that a fairytale castle deserves the fairytale treatment.
05:13Some of the small rooms would pick up nice stories.
05:16Like the golden goose.
05:17Yeah.
05:18There's Jack and the Beanstalks, an obvious one.
05:20Yeah.
05:21Well, Hook would be great, wouldn't you?
05:23Hook with his treasure.
05:23Nice nautical theme as well.
05:25Rumble silkskin and...
05:26Spinning gold.
05:27Spinning gold.
05:28Aladdin's cave.
05:31But, of course.
05:32There's a lot of stories about gold.
05:35Christmas treasures, isn't it?
05:36Treasured tales.
05:37Treasured tales.
05:38There we go.
05:38One of the teams said that they had an Aladdin's lamp.
05:43I'm...
05:44Again...
05:44And a big...
05:45I think I saw a picture of it, just not with any reference to size.
05:48And a big magnifying glove.
05:49There's just four months until Bambra's Christmas fairy tales opens to the public.
06:01The display will be spread throughout the castle, taking in many of its most prestigious rooms.
06:09Charlotte's got to make sure the vision matches up to the splendor.
06:13This is the lovely third chamber, and it's softer than most feminine, I guess, of rooms.
06:17So this is going to be our mermaid crotch toe.
06:20There'll be ten stories, including the emperor and the nightingale, in the 15th century armory.
06:27Jack's beanstalk will be planted in the keep.
06:32And Captain Hook in the billiard room.
06:35This room is Frankie's favourite.
06:36So Captain Hook is like Christmas mad, right?
06:39So it's just, honestly, you cannot move for stuff.
06:41And obviously he's a thief, right?
06:42So he's got all his amassed loot.
06:44Everything was signed off with owner Frankie weeks ago.
06:50But Charlotte might be about to blow plans for the ornate King's Hall right out of the water.
06:57King's Hall, we were going to do Treasure Island.
07:00Yes.
07:01But since I've been back this morning, there's been a little idea that's been brewing.
07:06And stood there today, I thought, actually, we should go for it, because I think there is something else.
07:12Last year, the grand finale was nearly a complete disaster.
07:16We did have a bit of a moment last year, didn't we?
07:20We did, Charlotte, yes.
07:21There was meant to be that long ship.
07:23Yeah.
07:24It was, in fact.
07:25A short ship.
07:29Because there wasn't much of it that turned up as planned.
07:32What was meant to be a full Viking ship ended up half sunk.
07:37It was a bad moment, I have to say.
07:38So, Charlotte's big idea could be very difficult to sell to Frankie.
07:45So.
07:45So.
07:47The King's Hall.
07:48The King's Hall.
07:49So, we had discussed and agreed.
07:52Yes.
07:53Treasure Island.
07:54Yes.
07:54Which will still happen.
07:56Yes.
07:57But I think, rather than Treasure Island taking up all of this space, Treasure Island should be in the cross chamber.
08:06Cross, yeah.
08:07So, you come in, so you see the island.
08:08Yep.
08:09And you're seeing the island from the deck of the Jolly Roger.
08:16That takes up this entire space.
08:19The whole space.
08:19The whole room.
08:20The whole space.
08:20So, basically, when we come into King's Hall, we're stepping onto the deck of the Jolly Roger.
08:31I think it'd be fantastic, because it literally will be like we're sailing.
08:36Have the visitors got access to go on the Jolly Roger?
08:39Yeah, no, they'll walk through it.
08:40Oh, okay.
08:41So, it'll be like a, you know.
08:42So, they're actually, they're immersed in the ship itself.
08:43Exactly.
08:44They're on the Jolly Roger.
08:48Do we feel...
08:50More importantly, do you feel that that's going to work in this space?
08:54You like the idea of that?
08:55I can see it now.
08:56I can see it.
08:57I think it's fantastic.
08:58This hall is absolutely designed for stuff like that.
09:01So, yes, I can picture it, and I love it.
09:04The Jolly Roger isn't the team's only big ambition.
09:08In the Norman Keep, Dave's planning an enormous metal-framed beanstalk for Jack to climb.
09:14So, if the King's Hall wasn't bad enough, what's the height of this ceiling?
09:21One second.
09:23You've already measured this, haven't you?
09:24On laser.
09:25It was five and a half.
09:27Yeah.
09:28Five and a half metres.
09:29And do we really think we can get something that tall?
09:31I can build something that tall, but that is the problem.
09:41Everything has to come up this tiny flight of steps by way of a weirdly shaped door.
09:46So, it's this that's the issue?
09:49Yeah.
09:50And are you going to tell me why it's that shape?
09:52The milk bottle door, that's so...
09:54Back in the day, when there was an emergency, and you'd have a guard, like a watchman.
09:58Yeah.
10:00And they need to get that message in there as quick as possible.
10:04Yeah.
10:05It's that shape, because they would literally be on horseback and go straight through the door.
10:10So, that's wider there to get the horse through?
10:13Yeah, the horse.
10:14And he ducked?
10:14He'd have to duck, yeah.
10:18But, yeah.
10:19That's why it's that shape.
10:21Doesn't help beanstalks, though, does it?
10:23No, it doesn't.
10:31For eight years, the team at Christmas HQ have been building, buying, storing, and reusing
10:37all the props and decorations they need to dress stately homes across Britain.
10:44So, eight of these might work.
10:50Oh, no.
10:51This year, they have six properties to fill, and they're running out of suitable storage.
10:56Right, so this little shop of horrors in here, this, this, well, there are many reasons,
11:02but this is one of the main reasons why we need a much bigger, less leaky, less pigeon-ridden space.
11:11Nice, right?
11:11And in there is where the missing interns live.
11:19You OK?
11:20It was only a matter of time before there was an accident.
11:27You all right, Joanna?
11:28Yeah.
11:29Oh, it's you.
11:30Chippy Brian and design assistant Theodora are on hand to save Adrian from a brush with Christmas past.
11:37Do you need a hand?
11:39Do you need a brush?
11:41It's a dangerous game, this Christmas thing, isn't it?
11:44Most people have just the one or two boxes in the loft with decorations, and we have a whole farm.
11:49This place is bursting at the seams, and here comes more, a delivery for Bambra.
12:02Thankfully, not all of our suppliers come in in articulated vehicles, but when they do, it's a little bit chancy,
12:15because we're kind of tucked away behind a working farm,
12:21which wasn't really designed to have articulated lorries come to its back door.
12:28You good?
12:32So this delivery is on pallets, which makes it a little bit easier,
12:37provided the pump truck power is working.
12:40Well, that's just asking for trouble.
12:48Eight fake trees, 400 glass baubles, 500 pounds worth of faux flowers,
12:54and almost definitely three French hens,
12:56just have to get the last 100 metres to their new home.
13:00Oh, no.
13:17Look at that power.
13:21God damn it.
13:23Does that mean it's just completely inoperative?
13:25I'll get them all to the back and down,
13:29don't believe what I've cut out, don't they go and try to make it?
13:34No-one said Christmas was easy.
13:37There are just three months to go,
13:53and at Christmas HQ, work is underway to create a fairytale Christmas for Bamboura Castle.
14:00In modelling, Mark's made a flying start on a bird for the Emperor and the Nightingale.
14:06This isn't modelling, polystyrene, it's just packaging we're reusing.
14:13We're going to heavily paint it and then cover it in jewellery.
14:19Next door, Dave's tackling his giant beanstalk,
14:23welding it in sections in the hope it will fit up a tiny staircase in the castle's Norman Keep.
14:28This is where I keep my welding gloves on because this is where I forget where I've just welded
14:36and I usually just pick it up, then my skin comes off with it.
14:44But it's harder to pick up with welding gloves on.
14:46And this is where I burn myself, see?
14:52The team's flat out, and not just for Bamboura.
14:55They've got another five properties to decorate.
14:59That's a lot of baubles.
15:07Wow.
15:09Look at this.
15:11Adrian and Charlotte have taken a drastic step.
15:13That's lovely with the lanterns on the tree.
15:16They've come all the way to Amsterdam
15:18for their first ever visit to one of Europe's biggest Christmas suppliers.
15:25Welcome to gaming.
15:27Finally got us here.
15:28It looks amazing.
15:29It's incredible.
15:30So this must be, are you like the biggest Christmas show?
15:34Yeah, well, we're a very big Christmas company.
15:36We have here 7,000 metres of pure Christmas.
15:39Wow.
15:40And there's 15,000 products here.
15:43Gosh.
15:44And it follows the local fashion trends and trends across Europe.
15:46So, yeah, very exciting.
15:48Amazing.
15:48Are we going down?
15:49Yeah, please.
15:52This is stunning, right?
15:55This place supplies decorations and faux trees
15:58to stately homes, shopping empires and royal palaces
16:01in over 90 countries.
16:07Do you want to set me up with a scanner so I can go shopping?
16:10Yeah.
16:10I'm not allowed a scanner.
16:12No.
16:13She points at things and I'm like, oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
16:15And then she awards me.
16:16And I just don't scan it.
16:17I'm going to get you a little scanner later.
16:18Yeah, exactly.
16:19Exactly.
16:20Don't tell him.
16:20OK, what do you want to go and have a look at your big balls?
16:28Let's just keep going round and we'll do big balls last.
16:31OK.
16:33Charlotte and Adrian have been working together for over a decade.
16:38Step away from whatever that is.
16:40OK.
16:42It's a long time for any relationship.
16:46Are we good for grapes?
16:47We're good for grapes.
16:48Yeah, you sure?
16:51Mm-hmm.
16:52We've got a lot of grapes I'm not very keen on.
16:59This is nice.
17:00We've got so much clip and colours there.
17:04I said to Laura...
17:05If the man says we have, we have.
17:07To Laura, not buying any more clips and she was like...
17:11Like the floor to ceiling four times over.
17:14Step away from the clips.
17:15The happy couple aren't just looking for statement pieces.
17:21Where do we want to use rotating tree this year?
17:23So what about giving Hook a rotating tree?
17:25Oh, yeah.
17:27When in doubt, give it to Hook.
17:29They're also hunting for stock suitable for Bambera's gift shop.
17:34Don't know that we need a lot of woodland.
17:36I feel that's too rustic.
17:38That's too rustic.
17:39Anything shouting out at you?
17:41Brits blow an estimated 630 million quid a year on Christmas decks.
17:47I don't think there's anything here that's right for us this year.
17:51Any of that spent at the castle would be a welcome contribution towards its upkeep.
17:56A yurt bauble.
18:01Oh, a yurt bauble.
18:02That's amazing.
18:03That is amazing.
18:04Finally, they found something they both like.
18:08Novelty.
18:10Look at this.
18:11Rainbow lips.
18:15Rainbow deflated balloon.
18:17It looks like a strange hot water bottle.
18:19And if they must have an excuse, well, it's pirate plunder.
18:26Surely Captain Hook would have a bejeweled croissant.
18:30Where can I put an iguana?
18:31I'm sure Captain Hook has iguanas.
18:34Is it an iguana or is it a chameleon?
18:37Anybody?
18:38I think it's a chameleon.
18:44Summer is nearly over.
18:49In just two and a half months,
18:52ten Christmas fairytale rooms have to be installed at Bamburgh Castle.
18:57Every bauble, nightingale and beanstalk needs transporting up the basalt cliff,
19:02past three fortified walls and along ancient passageways
19:06into some of the oldest and grandest rooms in Britain.
19:12But a hundred miles south at Christmas HQ,
19:15there's still a lot to do.
19:17In the loft, Erin and Adrian are starting a costume fit for a king.
19:25Let me do his little neckline there.
19:29I'm just doing this by eye because
19:32I've cut many necklines on many shirts, on many things.
19:38I could not do this by eye.
19:40I would have to measure, I'd have to put it onto paper, cut out the paper and then layer it and make sure it's flat.
19:48It is so impressive to me that he is doing this by eye.
19:52And that just comes from experience.
19:53I started off, I would use super cheap fabrics.
19:57Yes.
19:57Just to kind of play around and then not feel guilty if it went horribly wrong.
20:01Which it used to on a quite a regular basis and still does sometimes now.
20:06The only problem is that now I'm cutting into £30 a metre silk.
20:10This kimono's for the emperor and the nightingale.
20:14But if you imagine that that's then going to do that.
20:17Gorgeous.
20:19Yeah.
20:20Perfect.
20:21The feathered half of the story is being touched up by Juliana.
20:26It took two days to actually make the bird and then another two days to stick all these blingy bits on.
20:35Dave's finished the framework for the giant beanstalk.
20:39But it can't be fully assembled until it gets to Bamboura.
20:43We'll just have a lot to see what we've got.
20:45Claire and Chrissie have chicken wire, fabric, fake leaves and a couple of hundred cable ties to try to make each section a little more lifelike.
20:56So if we just make piles of the different products to see what we've actually got.
20:59Because it's a while since we've looked at all this, isn't it?
21:02This is Dave's beanstalk version 2.0.
21:06This, yeah, this is the base of the first one that I made.
21:13So it's a lot wider, but I didn't really, I didn't get the effect that I wanted.
21:25With this second one, because it's a lot narrower, I've kind of been able to go off in angles and give it that kind of twisty feel of a beanstalk all the way up to the ceiling.
21:36Does this look all right, Claire, from your side? I'm not pulling it too tight.
21:39So I'm hoping this one looks a bit more animated.
21:42And then what I'll do is just go inside and weave it back through the other way.
21:46At five metres high, this will almost touch the ceiling of the Norman Keep.
21:51There's any cable ties out there.
21:53If Dave's got his measurements right.
21:55The first time that I'll actually get to put this full beanstalk together will actually be on site in Bamburra.
22:07I know the individual parts fit, but I've just not seen it complete from top to bottom.
22:14Getting the beanstalk up is Dave's responsibility.
22:23Because Adrian and Charlotte will be away with another Christmas client during installation.
22:27Oh, there's one golden goblin.
22:30Theodora will be in charge of Captain Hook's table.
22:33Do we want this cutlery? Is this a sign for him?
22:36That's a sign for him, yeah.
22:37It'll be in owner Frankie's favourite haunt, the billiard room.
22:40But they still haven't worked out what it will look like.
22:45Now, the bread rolls are for the crew.
22:47He's not having bread.
22:48He's having ice cream.
22:52Maybe the crew get a raw turnip each.
22:56Or a carrot.
22:57A carrot and a bread roll.
22:58A carrot's quite funny.
22:58A carrot and a bread roll.
22:59Although scurvy, I don't think they should.
23:02No, because he's treating him too well then.
23:04Theodora's only been with Team Christmas for two years.
23:08Do you want to take some of your own photos?
23:09Yeah.
23:10It's the first time she's been given such a big responsibility.
23:14No pressure then.
23:16We're doing this now because Charlotte and I will only be at Bamburgh for about 24 hours.
23:21So the more that the team are briefed on and kind of get a head start on, the better.
23:29I'm very flattered to be trusted with getting started.
23:32I didn't trust you with it. It was Adrian.
23:34I hope I can do it good justice, but yeah, I'm super excited, so.
23:39I think I'd be demoted when I wasn't looking, basically.
23:42It's about developing the team's talents, Charlotte.
23:46See this fork?
23:46It's October.
23:59In one month's time, Bamburgh Castle opens its doors for Christmas.
24:03And in the grandest room of all, the King's Hall, the team have promised a full-size pirate ship.
24:10It's a tall order.
24:1180 miles down the coast, in the historic port of Hartlepool, Dave's trying to work out whether it's even faintly possible.
24:24Permission to come aboard, sir?
24:27Permission granted?
24:30Wow.
24:32That's huge.
24:33He's come to look at HMS Trincomalee, the oldest British warship, still afloat.
24:40I couldn't have this one, could I?
24:42Over 200 years old and a whopping 180 feet long, there's a lot to take in.
24:47And Dave's not the yachting type.
24:52So this one, Dave, this is the main mast, as you can see, this is the tallest one in the middle of the ship.
24:56Yeah.
24:57We've got the foremast, which is there, and then the mizzen mast at the back.
25:01So we have a foremast, main, and...
25:04Mizzen.
25:05Yeah.
25:06Mizzen.
25:06Mizzen.
25:07Mizzen.
25:07Mizzen.
25:09Mizzen.
25:09M-A double said, yeah, mizzen.
25:11OK, not rear.
25:12No.
25:13Mizzen.
25:13With Charles and Adrian tied up with Christmas in five other stately homes, the helm for this one falls to Dave.
25:23There's a lot of rigging.
25:24You don't know how many miles of rope there is, do you?
25:2715.
25:2815 miles of rope?
25:29Yeah, yeah.
25:30Because you think up and down, up and down, up and down, and then across.
25:33Then all the supports for the masts as well.
25:36They must be quite heavy.
25:37They are indeed, yeah.
25:38Because it's thick rope.
25:39Yeah.
25:40That knot alone is, like, probably, like, a couple of kilos.
25:43Absolutely.
25:44Yeah.
25:45A ship sounded great on paper, but the reality is proving a little more daunting.
25:51It's huge, isn't it?
25:55Um, yeah, I...
25:58I don't know how I'm going to do all this.
26:06Dave needs to come up with a solution, and fast.
26:10And I love how chunky and sturdy it all looks.
26:15I mean, it'd be great to make it look this full.
26:18What I'm thinking is that I might...
26:20I can get the chunkier stuff and just have it almost, like, thrown over barrels and coiled up on the deck.
26:27Instead of building the whole thing, shipping in a load of props would be much more sensible.
26:32Barrels.
26:32I'm going to need quite a few barrels, I think.
26:35So, I love these.
26:37That's going to really work for a Christmas setting.
26:40Absolutely.
26:43A bell would be quite good.
26:45Absolutely.
26:46We've got a bell.
26:47If you want to look at the bell, you can have a go.
26:49I'll have a go at the bell.
26:50Right.
26:51If you can hold that bit.
26:53Aye, aye, Captain.
26:53And give it a good pull.
26:55This bit.
26:56That bit.
26:56This bit.
27:00Lunch.
27:01The only thing missing from Dave's pirate ship plan is a parrot.
27:09Luckily, the castle has one of its own.
27:12Can you see a parrot?
27:15Woo!
27:16Nice.
27:16Jacob's helping castle owner Claire sign off on marketing for their festive fairy tales.
27:21So, here's a little rescue parrot, and I've discovered it's more peaceful if he joins in,
27:28because if he just stays on the floor, he shrieks.
27:31Woo!
27:33The rest of the castle team are also readying for the arrival of Christmas.
27:38Just to throw it with you to Harmony.
27:40Castle steward, Stuart, is moving family heirlooms out of harm's way.
27:46And in the gift shop, it's pack-up time for pumpkins.
27:49This is the start of what we've been covered in glitter for the next, what?
27:54Three months?
27:55Three months?
27:56Three months, certainly.
27:58Julie and Julie have got boxes of baubles to break open.
28:01Look at that.
28:04That's a beautiful one, Jill.
28:05Wow.
28:06That is gorgeous.
28:08This was a tip from Adrian, actually, wasn't it?
28:11Yeah, it was.
28:12He said to try and keep the same style of baubles in, like, a clump,
28:16instead of putting one there and one there.
28:18Yeah.
28:18And it actually works really well, doesn't it?
28:20It does, yeah.
28:20And odd numbers, if you can.
28:22Threes, fives, or sevens.
28:23Same as flower arranging, apparently.
28:25Oh, right.
28:26I didn't know that.
28:27Yeah.
28:28That one was lost on me.
28:29Oh, we learn in every year.
28:30Oh, we learn something new every year, don't we, Jill?
28:34They're nice, Julie.
28:36Make a nice set of earrings.
28:37Oh, they are lovely, aren't they?
28:38Yeah.
28:39Pat Butcher earrings, there.
28:40That phrase, more is less, it's untrue.
28:47More is more at Christmas.
28:48Oh, that's nice there, Julie.
28:49Beautiful.
28:50Nice.
28:52So far, so tasteful.
28:54All different colour snowflakes.
28:56But visitor manager Karen has just received the shipment from Holland.
29:00This is just the best bit, because you've got all these boxes, and you're wondering what
29:04on earth is in them.
29:06Oh, we've got a little, a little toucan.
29:10How sweet.
29:10It's very sparkly.
29:12Oh, look at these.
29:15November's wages.
29:17They're spent on things from the shop, aren't they?
29:19They are.
29:20Because we like that much of the stuff.
29:22The gift shop tops up Christmas takings here.
29:25And in this place, every penny counts.
29:33Bambra Castle is over a thousand years old, and has been in the Armstrong family for five
29:39generations.
29:40But when they bought it in 1894, it was a ruin.
29:46Lord Armstrong revived it as a home and local landmark, pouring his fortune into the restoration.
29:52Frankie grew up here with his parents and sister, inheriting it when he was just 21.
29:59He's dedicated his life to preserving it.
30:02Dad's death was a sudden death.
30:04It wasn't expected.
30:05So I think my mum obviously took it badly.
30:07But you just pick yourself off the floor and you've got to get on with it.
30:10There's no time to mess about mourning.
30:12Well, that's the sort of person you are, aren't you?
30:14You're very good at just sort of leading and getting on, rolling your sleeves up, and
30:18that's it, and cracking on.
30:19And I just, you know, I'm so proud of you.
30:22I really am, and what you've achieved and done.
30:25Is it daunting?
30:27Yeah, it's terrifying.
30:29Well, it's a big responsibility, isn't it?
30:31You keep the place standing.
30:39It's the start of November.
30:40In just six days, a fairytale Christmas opens at Bambra Castle.
30:47But first it has to get there.
30:50Get the big scenery on, and then back him down to the containers, and we'll start emptying
30:55the tent.
30:55The clock's ticking, and Theodora's still at work.
31:03I'm basically making a really quick jack-in-the-beanstalk.
31:07I want to make a little outfit for him.
31:10But yeah, it's got to be a quick job today.
31:14Hopefully to get it done.
31:15A lot to do, and not a lot of time.
31:17Three vans are waiting to be loaded, but Dave's spotted a problem.
31:25It's just 3.5.
31:28That's 11.2.
31:2911.2 feet?
31:31Yeah.
31:32A couple of years ago, we had a van turn up for Bambra.
31:36I think it was two of them, actually, and they didn't actually fit.
31:38There's a huge kind of a block gate that you go through, and they actually didn't fit through
31:42at all.
31:43This is one of those vans that won't fit through.
31:45There's no time to order a different van.
31:52We're going to have to load this one up, and then outside the castle, we'll transfer everything
31:58that's in here into the smaller one, so that can come through the gate and up.
32:03So it's never easy.
32:06When installation's finished, much of this will be beyond the reach of prying hands.
32:11Right now, months of handiwork is taking a battering.
32:20I think there's going to be a lot of shushing of product to do.
32:23Sorry.
32:23That's fine.
32:24Sorry.
32:25It's fine.
32:27And most of it's all right.
32:30It's falling to pieces.
32:32No, we're all good.
32:33It's all going on.
32:34This is very delicate.
32:49They're quite effective from a distance.
32:52Just when you close up, you can see the polystyrene.
32:56Try and carry it by this.
32:57It's not the banister, because the banister will break.
33:09Exactly what I didn't want to have happen.
33:12Well, it's just a case you can't really lift them from there.
33:16I didn't.
33:16This year will be Bambra's biggest Christmas yet,
33:23but more decks means less space in the vans.
33:27We've had incidents where we just have underestimated
33:29how much van room we're going to need
33:32and have had to then get an additional vehicle the following day,
33:36and I'm just touching wood that that's not going to happen this day.
33:40Next up, the Little Mermaid's big pool.
33:57This could be an issue.
34:07We're going to ditch this piece of scenery.
34:08Right.
34:10Because we've got more important stuff to get on this last vehicle.
34:14And it's just taking up too much space.
34:20Right.
34:22But will the sacrifice make room for this year's biggest installation?
34:29We're on the last vehicle for Bambra, vehicle number four,
34:32and it's going to be a tight squeeze.
34:35The last thing that has to go on is the beanstalk.
34:38This was meant to be one of the high points at Bambra,
34:44but it's beginning to look like it may never get there.
34:47Oh, we can just put it on a taillet and then just kind of till it down.
34:57Is that taller than two metres inside?
34:59That's her, yeah.
35:00So we've been talking about getting the beanstalk in the castle.
35:08The issue right now is, will it get on the other hand?
35:17Go on, go on.
35:18Success.
35:32Now for the voyage to Bambra Castle.
35:35Five hours later, and every item of fairy tale magic has to be unpacked again
35:53and carried into the castle, where it will wait under lock and key until morning.
36:03Then the team will have just four days to install this year's Christmas display.
36:08Christmas is in.
36:16Wake up for the night.
36:17Night-night ghosties.
36:19Look after everything for me.
36:21And we'll let the fun begin tomorrow.
36:23At Bambra Castle, the vans have been unpacked and their contents piled high.
36:39With the last of the valuables being moved to safety,
36:43it's a race against time to work out where everything goes.
36:48We've got a tricky situation now because we've got several properties.
36:52All happening at the same time.
36:54Which means we're very reliant on the team because Charlotte and I were just jetting in and out.
36:59So we're completely trusting the team to get it right for us.
37:06It's literally so much overwhelming.
37:15In the keep, Stuart is putting up a scaffold tower to help build the giant beanstalk.
37:22The smallest sections make the tight squeeze through the bottle door,
37:34up the steps, and round the corner.
37:37Now it's time for the biggest piece.
37:45It's time to get on the right side of it.
37:46It's time to get on the right side of it.
37:47It's time to get on the right side of it.
37:50I'm ready.
37:51Ready?
37:52One, two, three.
37:53I'm just trying to get on the right side of it.
37:57Ready?
37:58One, two, three.
37:59I'm ready.
38:00One, two, three.
38:01Yeah, hang on, Tom.
38:02Are you worried about getting in there?
38:03Yeah, I've got it.
38:04You got this one?
38:05Right.
38:06Same again, Jim.
38:07Just let me get on the right side of it.
38:11It's not going to go.
38:21It actually isn't going to go.
38:31And it's through.
38:37Thank you, gents.
38:43Yeah.
38:45Now we've just got to make sure that we've actually made it the right size.
38:55In the rest of the castle, work is in full swing.
38:59Claire and Chrissie are trying to take the edge off the weaponry in the armoury.
39:04Tons of product to go in, so it'll be really full by the time we're finished.
39:08Just to try and soften things a little bit.
39:12In the King's Hall, there's the first signs of the Jolly Roger.
39:16Theodora's decorating a tree for the Emperor and the Nightingale.
39:26When I go home, my mum does it. I don't get her looking on my own Christmas tree.
39:30My mum takes over. She's not handed over the reins.
39:36Are you beneath me this side?
39:38Yeah.
39:40Right, we're going to start lowering it slowly.
39:42Yeah.
39:43Back in the keep, Dave's drafted in Henry to help piece together the beanstalk.
39:48Yeah.
39:49Yeah.
39:50Yeah, that's good.
39:52It's meant to be 5.3 metres tall.
39:55Next one.
39:56Yeah.
39:57In a room only 5.5 metres high, they'd better hope Dave's got his measurements right.
40:03I'll tell you, it looks like it's not going to fit.
40:10That's all right, doesn't I agree?
40:20It's just catching as well everywhere.
40:23Two mil, honestly just a tiny bit.
40:26That's it, that's it.
40:33That is literally touching the ceiling.
40:45It's just 18 hours until Bamburgh Castle's fairytale Christmas opens to the public.
40:51And it's been a busy day.
40:54Theodora's been trying to remember how to lay Captain Hook's banquet.
40:58It's just ridiculous difference in what he's willing to give to his crew.
41:04Ultimate gluttony.
41:10The Little Mermaid is all clam glam, even without her rock pool.
41:20The Emperor's Nightingale's ready to burst into song.
41:23And even the banisters are getting glittery.
41:29In the King's Hall, Dave's rigging the Jolly Roger.
41:33Why does that look so bad?
41:35It looks like a bed sheet.
41:38The team's making great progress.
41:40And Adrian and Charlotte have arrived to help finish their creation.
41:45It originates with us, doesn't it?
41:48So you've got to see it through and you've got to sign it off.
41:50Because at the end of the day, it's got, you know, your name.
41:54You've got to have the final, final tweak.
42:00It's late.
42:02But finally, the Jolly Roger is looking ship-shape.
42:05Heave!
42:09And no fairytale pirate ship would be complete without a skull and crossbones.
42:15Ideally, a glittery one.
42:20I mean, I can hold it here.
42:21Aye.
42:22Can you get it there? Get a wee bit further under so I can push it in.
42:25Get it off the skull so you're safe.
42:27With your hand.
42:28Right, you happy there?
42:29Happy, yeah.
42:30Right, you're going to move a wee bit.
42:32They've just got to get it up, without breaking it.
42:35Oh, there he is.
42:36Easy, easy.
42:39Hang on.
42:40Hang on.
42:41Hang on.
42:43Stuart, wait, wait.
42:44Yep.
42:45Wait.
42:46What's happened here?
42:47Hang on.
42:48Wait, Stuart.
42:49Wait.
42:52Wait.
42:53Stuart!
42:54Alright, sorry.
42:55I thought you were saying okay.
42:56No.
42:57It's caught, it's wrapped around itself.
42:59You want me to back off?
43:00No.
43:01There you go.
43:03Bit higher.
43:07Yeah.
43:09Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
43:10That's it.
43:16That looks really good.
43:20School's at Christmas.
43:23Hey, you did good.
43:24Morning.
43:25November the 8th.
43:26The thousand-year-old fairy tale castle now has a new set of treasured stories to tell.
43:39After 11 months designing, building and installing, it's nearly ready to open to the public.
43:52The thousand-year-old fairy tale.
43:53At the end of the day, we couldn't do any of this without our incredible team.
43:59And they are, yeah, they're amazing.
44:02We love the work that they do, but the big thing is, will the client love it?
44:06Will the client love it?
44:10This is a piece to resistors.
44:12Oh, my.
44:13What?
44:15Cracking.
44:18Wow.
44:19Oh, I love it.
44:20Look at the skull and crossbones.
44:21Oh, I love that.
44:22It's very good.
44:23Oh, look.
44:24Brilliant, isn't it?
44:25Do you know those coins are chocolate?
44:26You can't have one.
44:27Oh, oh.
44:28Oh, my.
44:29Mm-mm.
44:30That's very good.
44:31Oh, look.
44:32Brilliant, isn't it?
44:33Do you know those coins are chocolate?
44:34You can't have one.
44:35Oh, that's incredible, isn't it?
44:40That was quite impressive, wasn't it?
44:45That's, I mean, it's just bonkers.
44:47Had to get it in here.
44:52Christmas at Bamboura is officially open.
45:03Enjoy.
45:04When I came in, I just thought, wow, it's absolutely amazing.
45:24Best, best yet.
45:25The attention to detail is just wonderful.
45:55The attention to detail is just wonderful.
46:25To bring the season to life, head inside Legoland at Christmas.
46:29That's all new and so is a fiery flirt at the First States Beach Club next night.
Be the first to comment