Menu

Ireland's sailing, boating & maritime magazine

BBC Series of Behind the Scenes Documentary Will Showcase CalMac and Its Ferry Crew

16th August 2022
 A new BBC eight-part documentary series on Scottish western Isles operator CalMac, its staff and the communities it serves is to appear on screens next year. CalMac is the largest domestic ferry operator in the UK, with routes on the Clyde and linking the Hebridean Islands. Above several crew members of Finnlaggen, Afloat which adds operates to Islay off south-west Scotland.
A new BBC eight-part documentary series on Scottish western Isles operator CalMac, its staff and the communities it serves is to appear on screens next year. CalMac is the largest domestic ferry operator in the UK, with routes on the Clyde and linking the Hebridean Islands. Above several crew members of Finnlaggen, Afloat which adds operates to Islay off south-west Scotland Credit: CalMac-twitter

A new BBC documentary series will go behind the scenes to report on the working lives of the crew and staff who serve the Scottish west coast communities across the CalMac ferry network.

It will also focus on many of the people and communities which depend on CalMac, exploring their way of life and livelihoods.

The series is being created by IWC Media, the production company behind Susan Calman's Secret Scotland (Channel 5), Scotland's Home of The Year (BBC One) and Location, Location, Location (Channel 4).

Filming will be observational - capturing normal jobs and duties as they happen to represent what goes on behind the scenes at CalMac. Staff are not under any obligation to be filmed and the documentary production company will ensure that operational procedures are not affected.

Robbie Drummond, Managing Director of CalMac, said: "Communities have faced an awful lot of upheaval recently and we understand just how deeply this has affected them. This documentary will not gloss over these problems but is an opportunity to highlight the importance of the ferry service to people's lives.

"This is a chance for us to show who we really are and the lengths our people go to every day to deliver our services.

"It will showcase the people who regularly use the ferry service and to promote the unique local businesses operating within the islands, all of whom rely on CalMac."

Published in Maritime TV
Jehan Ashmore

About The Author

Jehan Ashmore

Email The Author

Jehan Ashmore is a marine correspondent, researcher and photographer, specialising in Irish ports, shipping and the ferry sector serving the UK and directly to mainland Europe. Jehan also occasionally writes a column, 'Maritime' Dalkey for the (Dalkey Community Council Newsletter) in addition to contributing to UK marine periodicals. 

We've got a favour to ask

More people are reading Afloat.ie than ever thanks to the power of the internet but we're in stormy seas because advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news sites, we haven’t put up a paywall because we want to keep our marine journalism open.

Afloat.ie is Ireland's only full–time marine journalism team and it takes time, money and hard work to produce our content.

So you can see why we need to ask for your help.

If everyone chipped in, we can enhance our coverage and our future would be more secure. You can help us through a small donation. Thank you.

Direct Donation to Afloat button