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Christmas 2017

Exploring the fascinating factory processes behind Christmas cake, baubles, brandy and more. And why Christmas tree lights are called fairy lights.

In this Christmas special, Gregg Wallace, Cherry Healey and Ruth Goodman explore the fascinating factory processes and surprising history behind favourite festive treats.

Gregg follows 24 hours of production at a cake factory in Oldham, near Manchester, where they make two million Christmas cakes for Marks and Spencer. As he helps to mix dried fruit and spices, Gregg discovers the challenges of producing 480 perfect cakes every hour. He also attempts to prepare some of the 300,000 handmade decorations made from 150,000 tonnes of icing sugar, with very messy results.

Meanwhile, Cherry is given special access to Britain's largest marzipan factory, which produces two thousand tonnes of almond paste every year, and visits one of our largest sprout farms where, during the two weeks before Christmas, they pick 190 million sprouts. She also travels to Somerset to discover how 80,000 bottles of brandy are distilled from cider apples and gets hot under the collar attempting to blow a glass Christmas bauble.

Ruth Goodman adds her own Christmas revelations by investigating how early industrial heritage inspired Charles Dickens to write A Christmas Carol, and why Christmas tree lights are called fairy lights.

58 minutes

Last on

Fri 23 Dec 2022 15:50
BBC Two

More episodes

Previous

Christmas 2016

Next

Inside the Christmas Factory

See all episodes from Inside the Factory

Clip

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:04

    Shakin’ Stevens

    Merry Christmas Everyone

  • 00:11

    Kelly Clarkson

    Underneath The Tree

  • 00:19

    Little Mix

    Love Me Like You

  • 00:22

    Leona Lewis

    Winter Wonderland

  • 00:22

    Leona Lewis

    Winter Wonderland

  • 00:26

    Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

    The Nutcracker: Chinese Dance

  • 00:28

    Leona Lewis

    Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

  • 00:30

    Kylie Minogue

    Christmas Isn't Christmas 'Til You Get Here

  • 00:30

    The Pogues

    Fairytale Of New York (feat. Kirsty MacColl)

  • 00:43

    Darlene Love

    All Alone On Christmas

  • 00:51

    The Royal Artillery Band

    Sleigh Ride

  • 00:53

    Michael Bublé

    Santa Buddy

  • 00:56

    Rod Thomas

    Bedtime Glory

  • 00:52

    Stereophonics

    White Lies

  • 00:57

    Leona Lewis

    I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday

Credits

Presenter Gregg Wallace
Presenter Cherry Healey
Presenter Ruth Goodman
Executive Producer Alice Harper
Executive Producer Sanjay Singhal
Producer Sam Bailey
Director Sam Bailey
Director Emma Pound
Production Company Voltage TV Productions Ltd

Broadcasts

  • Mon 18 Dec 2017 19:30
    BBC Two
  • Fri 22 Dec 2017 19:00
    BBC Two except Northern Ireland & Scotland
  • Sat 23 Dec 2017 17:00
    BBC Two Scotland
  • Wed 27 Dec 2017 02:10
    BBC Two
  • Sun 16 Dec 2018 19:00
    BBC Two except Scotland & Wales
  • Mon 16 Dec 2019 19:00
    BBC Two except Scotland
  • Wed 16 Dec 2020 19:00
    BBC Two except Scotland & Wales
  • Tue 21 Dec 2021 12:20
    BBC Two except Scotland
  • Fri 23 Dec 2022 15:50
    BBC Two except Scotland

Featured in...

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

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.