Channel 5 has commissioned Argonon’s BriteSpark East to produce Kent: Garden of England (w/t), a new 5 x 60’ factual series “capturing the characters, the stories and the landmarks of one of the nation’s oldest counties.”

The series, narrated by Bill Nighy, journeys deep into the green lands of Kent, home to more castles and historic houses than any in Britain as well as 350 miles of beaches, coastal towns and chalky cliffs, and mainland UK’s closest point to Europe. The series explores celebrated crafts, from the cricket bat makers of Ashford and the stonemasons of Canterbury Cathedral to the hop growers, brewing their beer right on the farm. The series also tracks emerging cultural hotspots, including Tracy Emin’s favourite hotel in a re-energised Margate and the restaurant harvesting from its own greenhouses to attract diners.

Kate Ansell, Channel 5 and Paramount+ Commissioning Editor, said: ““We take a scenic journey through the garden of England, Kent. It’s a visual feel-good treat for viewers, exploring the places and people that form the nation’s oldest counties, celebrating the rich tapestry of life that make this county unique.”

BriteSpark Creative Director Tom Porter said: “This entertaining and enjoyable series goes deep into the nation’s oldest county to discover the diversity of characters, crafts and culture, all set against the natural beauty of wild coastlines, chalky cliffs and rolling green countryside. Following the success of Norfolk and Suffolk, we are delighted to take viewers to the Garden of England for this visually stunning new series.”

The series was commissioned by Kate Ansell, Commissioning Editor, Channel 5, and executive produced for BriteSpark by Tom Porter. The series is series produced by Edmund Booth and directed by Joseph Cunningham and Richard Hughes. International distribution will be handled by Abacus Media Rights.

The series is the latest commission for BriteSpark, following the series commissions of Norfolk and Suffolk, Motorway Hotel and Scams: Don’t Get Caught Out, all for Channel 5. It also follows recent documentary series Billionaires Who Made the World and the upcoming commission, The World’s Most Expensive Trainers, both for Channel 4.