Britain by Beach

Anita Rani visits beaches in Yorkshire and Northumberland, learning the story of the historical shipwreck in Whitby that inspired an iconic moment in Dracula. She also reveals how the discovery of medicinal spa water in Scarborough 400 years ago led to it becoming the world's first seaside resort and how early life-saving pioneers at Bamburgh Castle worked to revive shipwreck victims in the 1700s.

Anita Rani returns to travel across the country and discover the remarkable secret history of Britain's beaches. She begins in Cornwall, a county renowned for its 420 miles of glorious coastline. At Porthcurno beach, Anita uncovers the hidden story of ingenious Victorian engineering buried beneath the golden sand, and how this remote spot remains central to Britain's global communications.

Anita Rani explores the Kent coast, beginning her journey on the beaches of Hythe and Dymchurch, where she visits an unusual architectural feature designed to keep Napoleon at bay. Deep within Dover Castle, Anita uncovers a secret wartime operation that enabled the biggest rescue in British history, and she concludes her journey in the artistic mecca of Margate, learning of a love story that fired the great painter JMW Turner.

Anita Rani explores the beaches of her childhood in Lancashire. In Blackpool, she discovers the stories behind the famous tower and ballroom, and takes a spin on the oldest operating ride in Europe. At Lytham St Annes, she learns of a dramatic sea rescue and how the worst RNLI lifeboat disaster inspired the world's first street charity collection.