Episodes

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01Metropolitan Essex2021012520221121 (R3)Kicking off the series exploring the joys of Essex, surely the most maligned and misunderstood of counties, singer-songwriter Billy Bragg reflects on the borderland between London and Essex that fuelled his childhood imagination

John Betjeman called Essex 'a stronger contrast of beauty and ugliness than any other southern English county'. But, known recently for the pneumonic blondes and diamond geezers of TV's The Only Way Is Essex, as well as the peroxided 'Essex Girls' of the 80s and the Tory-loving 'Basildon Man' of the 90s, Essex seems to have become a parody of itself. But Billy Bragg thinks otherwise...

Reader and writer: Billy Bragg is a singer, songwriter and activist.

Producer: Justine Willett

Billy Bragg explores the London-Essex borderland that fuelled his childhood imagination.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Kicking off the series exploring the joys of Essex, surely the most maligned and misunderstood of counties, singer-songwriter Billy Bragg reflects on the borderland between London and Essex that fuelled his childhood imagination

John Betjeman called Essex 'a stronger contrast of beauty and ugliness than any other southern English county'. But, known recently for the pneumonic blondes and diamond geezers of TV's The Only Way Is Essex, as well as the peroxided 'Essex Girls' of the 80s and the Tory-loving 'Basildon Man' of the 90s, Essex seems to have become a parody of itself. But Billy Bragg thinks otherwise...

Reader and writer: Billy Bragg is a singer, songwriter and activist.

Producer: Justine Willett

Billy Bragg explores the London-Essex borderland that fuelled his childhood imagination.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

02Washed Up In Essex2021012620221122 (R3)In the next in a series exploring the joys of Essex, surely the most overlooked and misunderstood of counties, AL Kennedy takes on a watery journey through the rivers, mudflats and reed beds of the county she now calls home.

Known recently for the pneumonic blondes and diamond geezers of television's The Only Way Is Essex, as well as the peroxided 'Essex Girls' of the 80s, Essex seems to have an image problem. John Betjeman called it 'a stronger contrast of beauty and ugliness than any other southern English county'. This series explores the contrasts of this boundary county, this interzone, which has become a parody of itself.

Reader and writer: AL Kennedy is an acclaimed novelist and short story writer.

Producer: Justine Willett

Writer AL Kennedy takes us on a watery journey through the county she now calls home.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

In the next in a series exploring the joys of Essex, surely the most overlooked and misunderstood of counties, AL Kennedy takes on a watery journey through the rivers, mudflats and reed beds of the county she now calls home.

Known recently for the pneumonic blondes and diamond geezers of television's The Only Way Is Essex, as well as the peroxided 'Essex Girls' of the 80s, Essex seems to have an image problem. John Betjeman called it 'a stronger contrast of beauty and ugliness than any other southern English county'. This series explores the contrasts of this boundary county, this interzone, which has become a parody of itself.

Reader and writer: AL Kennedy is an acclaimed novelist and short story writer.

Producer: Justine Willett

Writer AL Kennedy takes us on a watery journey through the county she now calls home.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

03The Refusal Of Place2021012720221123 (R3)In the next in a series exploring the joys of Essex, surely the most maligned and misunderstood of counties, writer and poet Lavinia Greenlaw takes us back to the formative landscape of her childhood - a place that she rejected for so long...

Known recently for the pneumonic blondes and diamond geezers of television's The Only Way Is Essex, as well as the peroxided 'Essex Girls' of the 80s, Essex seems to have an image problem. John Betjeman called it 'a stronger contrast of beauty and ugliness than any other southern English county'. This series explores the contrasts of this boundary county, this interzone, which has become a parody of itself.

Reader and writer: Lavinia Greenlaw is an acclaimed poet and novelist.

Producer: Justine Willett

Writer Lavinia Greenlaw takes us back to the formative landscape of her childhood.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

In the next in a series exploring the joys of Essex, surely the most maligned and misunderstood of counties, writer and poet Lavinia Greenlaw takes us back to the formative landscape of her childhood - a place that she rejected for so long...

Known recently for the pneumonic blondes and diamond geezers of television's The Only Way Is Essex, as well as the peroxided 'Essex Girls' of the 80s, Essex seems to have an image problem. John Betjeman called it 'a stronger contrast of beauty and ugliness than any other southern English county'. This series explores the contrasts of this boundary county, this interzone, which has become a parody of itself.

Reader and writer: Lavinia Greenlaw is an acclaimed poet and novelist.

Producer: Justine Willett

Writer Lavinia Greenlaw takes us back to the formative landscape of her childhood.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

04Brightening From The East2021010020221124 (R3)
20210128 (R3)
In the next in a series celebrating the joys of Essex, surely the most maligned of counties, writer and social historian Ken Worpole explores Essex as a place of retreat and refuge.

Known recently for the pneumonic blondes and diamond geezers of television's The Only Way Is Essex, as well as the peroxided 'Essex Girls' of the 80s, Essex seems to have an image problem. John Betjeman called it 'a stronger contrast of beauty and ugliness than any other southern English county'. This series explores the contrasts of this boundary county, this interzone, which has become a parody of itself.

Reader and writer: Ken Worpole is an acclaimed writer with books on architecture, landscape, planning, design, and social history. He was a founder-member of openDemocracy, and is a senior professor at The Cities Institute, London Metropolitan University.

Producer: Justine Willett

Writer and social historian Ken Worpole introduces us to Essex's radical past.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

In the next in a series celebrating the joys of Essex, surely the most maligned of counties, writer and social historian Ken Worpole explores Essex as a place of retreat and refuge.

Known recently for the pneumonic blondes and diamond geezers of television's The Only Way Is Essex, as well as the peroxided 'Essex Girls' of the 80s, Essex seems to have an image problem. John Betjeman called it 'a stronger contrast of beauty and ugliness than any other southern English county'. This series explores the contrasts of this boundary county, this interzone, which has become a parody of itself.

Reader and writer: Ken Worpole is an acclaimed writer with books on architecture, landscape, planning, design, and social history. He was a founder-member of openDemocracy, and is a senior professor at The Cities Institute, London Metropolitan University.

Producer: Justine Willett

Writer and social historian Ken Worpole introduces us to Essex's radical past.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

05The Essex Way2021012920221125 (R3)In the last programme in a series celebrating the joys of Essex, surely the most maligned of counties, writer Gillian Darley explores the unsung delights of mid-Essex, with a trip along the Essex Way.

Known recently for the pneumonic blondes and diamond geezers of television's The Only Way Is Essex, as well as the peroxided 'Essex Girls' of the 80s, Essex seems to have an image problem. John Betjeman called it 'a stronger contrast of beauty and ugliness than any other southern English county'. This series explores the contrasts of this boundary county, this interzone, which has become a parody of itself.

Reader and writer: Gillian Darley is the author of Excellent Essex. She is a writer, broadcaster and architectural campaigner, with an OBE for her services to the Built Environment and its Conservation.

Producer: Justine Willett

Writer Gillian Darley celebrates the unsung and lesser-known delights of mid-Essex.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

In the last programme in a series celebrating the joys of Essex, surely the most maligned of counties, writer Gillian Darley explores the unsung delights of mid-Essex, with a trip along the Essex Way.

Known recently for the pneumonic blondes and diamond geezers of television's The Only Way Is Essex, as well as the peroxided 'Essex Girls' of the 80s, Essex seems to have an image problem. John Betjeman called it 'a stronger contrast of beauty and ugliness than any other southern English county'. This series explores the contrasts of this boundary county, this interzone, which has become a parody of itself.

Reader and writer: Gillian Darley is the author of Excellent Essex. She is a writer, broadcaster and architectural campaigner, with an OBE for her services to the Built Environment and its Conservation.

Producer: Justine Willett

Writer Gillian Darley celebrates the unsung and lesser-known delights of mid-Essex.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.