Series 9

Season 9 · 2024 · 6 episodes

Paddy McGuinness and Cherry Healey visit factories that produce some of our favourite foods on a massive scale, from sliced bread to flapjacks and sausage rolls.

1Chocolate SeashellsIn this Christmas special, new presenter Paddy McGuinness and Cherry Healey visit a chocolate factory in Belgium that produces four million chocolate seashells every day. Cherry Healey is also in Belgium, learning the secrets of white chocolate production at the biggest chocolate factory in the world, and Ruth Goodman is in a city with a familiar-sounding name, Saint Niklas, exploring the European origins of Santa.
2Sliced BreadPaddy McGuinness makes a wonderfully nostalgic trip to the Warburtons factory in his hometown of Bolton where, thirty years ago, he had a Saturday job cleaning the machines. Meanwhile, Cherry Healey discovers how waste bread is turned into beer, and historian Ruth Goodman reveals why white bread was banned during World War Two.
3Cheese CurlsNew presenter Paddy McGuinness visits a factory in Lincoln to explore how they make 500 million packs of Quavers every year. Cherry Healey learns how Bombay Mix is made, while Ruth Goodman reveals the wartime story behind our love of cheese flavouring.
4FlapjacksPaddy McGuinness visits a factory that makes forty million flapjacks a year. Meanwhile, Cherry Healey learns how oats can benefit gut health, and Ruth Goodman savours the history of the Staffordshire oatcakes and golden syrup.
5Hardback BooksPaddy McGuinness visits a factory that produces three million books every week. Cherry Healey is learning how an intricate design is printed onto cloth for the hard covers. Meanwhile historian Ruth Goodman uncovers the extraordinary origins of Braille.
6Sausage RollsPaddy McGuinness visits a factory in Northern Ireland to learn how they make more than half a million sausage rolls every day. Cherry Healey discovers how black pudding is made, while historian Ruth Goodman reveals how the humble sausage skin gave a surprising lift to a weapon of war.

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