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Gregg Wallace visits the Ercol factory in Buckinghamshire to follow the production of a Windsor chair. Meanwhile, Cherry Healey investigates how sitting too much could be very bad for our health.

Gregg Wallace visits the Ercol factory in Buckinghamshire, an area associated with furniture making since the 19th century.

We Brits spend a staggering 拢300 million pounds each week on furniture, and Gregg is following the production of one of this factory鈥檚 best sellers, the Windsor chair. Starting life as ash trees from European woodlands, they're cut, drilled, steamed, curved and sanded until they're ready for delivery to shops and homes.

Meanwhile, Cherry Healey investigates how sitting too much could be very bad for our health, and she helps to manage a sustainable woodland at the Rushmore Estate in Wiltshire. And historian Ruth Goodman discovers how utility furniture made during the Blitz is still influencing the designs we buy today, as well as learning how a humble British carpenter went on to make the most expensive piece of furniture ever sold.

59 minutes

Last on

Wed 15 Feb 2023 19:00

Music Played

  • The 1975

    Chocolate

  • George Ezra

    Paradise

  • Gabrielle Aplin

    Sweet Nothing

  • Paolo Nutini

    Jenny Don't Be Hasty

  • Sugababes

    You On A Good Day

  • Sugababes

    You On A Good Day

  • Yeah Yeah Yeahs

    Shame and Fortune

  • Right Said Fred

    I'm Too Sexy (7" Mix)

  • DJ Fresh

    Hot Right Now (feat. Rita Ora, Dj Fresh)

  • Laura Marling

    Ghosts

  • The Proclaimers

    I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)

  • Snow Patrol

    Just Say Yes (Snow Patrol Version)

  • Kaiser Chiefs

    Tomato In The Rain

  • Malcolm McLaren & The World鈥檚 Famous Supreme Team

    Buffalo Gals

  • Franz Ferdinand

    Bite Hard

  • James

    Sit Down

  • Coldplay

    Paradise

  • Take That

    Shine

  • Barry Gray

    Thunderbirds

  • Laura Marling

    Cross Your Fingers

  • Babybird

    You're Gorgeous

  • Babybird

    You're Gorgeous

  • Foxes

    Better Love

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Gregg Wallace
Presenter Cherry Healey
Presenter Ruth Goodman
Director Gavin Ahern
Series Producer Nicola Lafferty
Executive Producer Lucy Carter
Executive Producer Sanjay Singhal
Production Company Voltage TV

Broadcasts

Learn more about the history of the factory and how it has evolved with an interactive from The Open University.

The fascinating stories behind the production of some of our favourite products.