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Time Team

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Time Team
Created byTim Taylor
Presented by
Starring
Theme music composerPaul Greedus
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No.of series22
No.of episodes286[a]
Production
Executive producerTim Taylor
Running time47 minutes[b]
Production companyVideoText Communications Ltd
Original release
NetworkChannel 4
Release16 January 1994(1994-01-16)–
7 September 2014(2014-09-07)
NetworkYouTube
Release2 April 2011(2011-04-02)[1]–
present
Related
From left to right:Tony Robinson,Mick Aston,andGuy de la Bédoyèrein 2007
Aston with producer Tim Taylor in 2005
Aston and Robinson, Time Team Series 8 shoot at Waltham Fields, Whittington, Gloucestershire, England, 2000, transmitted 2001

Time Teamis a British television programme that originally aired onChannel 4from 16 January 1994 to 7 September 2014. It returned in 2022 on online platforms YouTube and Patreon. Created by television producerTim Taylorand presented by actorTony Robinson,each episode featured a team of specialists carrying out anarchaeologicaldigover a period of three days, with Robinson explaining the process in lay terms. The specialists changed throughout the programme's run, although it consistently included professional archaeologists such asMick Aston,Carenza Lewis,Francis PryorandPhil Harding.The sites excavated ranged in date from thePalaeolithicto theSecond World War.

In October 2012, Channel 4 announced that the final series would be broadcast in 2013.[2]Series 20 was screened from January–March 2013 and ninespecialswere screened between May 2013 and September 2014. In May 2021, Taylor announced the return of the series, with free episodes to be shown on YouTube.[3]The first episodes of the revival began appearing on YouTube in 2022.

Format

[edit]
Main article:List of Time Team episodes

At the start of the programme, Tony Robinson explains, in an opening "piece to camera", the reasons for the team's visit to the site and during the dig, he enthusiastically encourages the archaeologists to explain their decisions, discoveries and conclusions. He tries to ensure that everything is comprehensible to the archaeologically uninitiated. The site is frequently suggested by a member of the viewing public.Time Teamuncover as much as they can of the archaeology and history of the site in three days.

Excavations are not just carried out to entertain viewers. Robinson claims that the archaeologists involved withTime Teamhave published more scientific papers on excavations carried out in the programme than all British university archaeology departments over the same period and that by 2013, the programme had become the biggest funder of field archaeology in the country.[4][5]

Team members

[edit]

A team ofarchaeologists,usually led byMick AstonorFrancis Pryor(the latter usually headingBronze AgeandIron Agedigs), including field archaeologistPhil Harding,congregate at a site, usually in Britain. The originalTime Teamline-up from 1994 has changed over the years. Historian and archivistRobin Bushwas a regular in the first nine series, having been involved with the programme through his long friendship with Aston.Architectural historianBeric Morleyfeatured in ten episodes between 1995 and 2002.[6]In 2005,Carenza Lewisleft to pursue other interests. She was replaced byHelen Geake,Anglo-Saxonspecialist. The regular team also included:[7]Stewart Ainsworth,landscape investigator;John GaterandChris Gaffney,archaeological geophysicists;Henry Chapman,surveyor;andVictor Ambrus,illustrator.

The team was supplemented by experts appropriate for the period and type of site.Guy de la Bédoyèrehas often been present forRomandigs, as well as those involving theSecond World Warsuch asD-Dayand aircraft (such as theSpitfire). Architectural historianJonathan Foylehas appeared in episodes relating to excavations of country estates. Paul Blinkhorn (pottery), Mark Corney (coins), Carl Thorpe (pottery), and Jackie McKinley (bones) have appeared from time to time. Mick 'the dig' Worthington, an excavator in the early series, occasionally returned as adendrochronologist,whereupon he was dubbed 'Mick the twig'. Osteoarcheologist Margaret Cox often assisted withforensic archaeology,mainly between 1998 and 2005. Other specialists who appeared from time to time include historianBettany Hughes,archaeologistGustav Milne,East of England specialistBen Robinson,architectural historian Richard K. Morriss, and David S. Neal, expert on Romanmosaics.Local historiansalso joined in.

In February 2012, it was announced that Aston had left the show because of format changes. The disputed changes included hiring anthropologistMary-Ann Ochotaas a co-presenter, dispensing with other archaeologists and what he thought were plans to "cut down the informative stuff about the archaeology".[8][9]"The time had come to leave. I never made any money out of it, but a lot of my soul went into it. I feel really, really angry about it," he toldBritish Archaeologymagazine.[8]Time TeamproducerTim Taylorreleased a statement in response to the news reports saying "His concerns are of great importance to me. We have addressed some of them" and that "you've not heard the last of Mick onTime Team".[10]

Regular team members in later years included archaeologist Neil Holbrook, Roman coins specialist Philippa Walton, and historian Sam Newton. Younger members ofTime Teamwho made regular appearances include Jenni Butterworth,Raksha Dave,[7][11]Kerry Ely, Brigid Gallagher, Rob Hedge, Katie Hirst,Alex Langlands,Cassie Newland,Ian Powlesland,Alice Roberts,Faye Simpson,[12]Barney Sloane, Tracey Smith, and Matt Williams.[13][14][15]

Production

[edit]

Time Teamdeveloped from an earlier Channel 4 programme,Time Signs,first broadcast in 1991. Produced by Taylor,Time Signshad featured Aston and Harding, who went on to appear onTime Team.FollowingTime Signs'cancellation, Taylor went on to develop a more attractive format, producing the idea forTime Team,which Channel 4 also picked up, broadcasting the first series in 1994.Time Teamhas had many companion shows during its run, includingTime Team Extra(1998),History Hunters(1998–1999) andTime Team Digs(2002), whilst several spin-off books have been published. The programme features special episodes, oftendocumentarieson history or archaeology andliveepisodes. The programme has been exported to 35 other countries.[16][c] Time Team America,a US version of the programme, was broadcast onPBSin 2009.[d]

On 13 September 2007, during the filming of ajousting reenactmentfor a special episode ofTime Team,a splinter from abalsa woodlancewent through the eye-slit in the helmet of one of the participants and entered his eye socket. 54 year-old Paul Anthony Allen, a member of a re-enactment society, died a week later in hospital.[17]Channel 4 stated that the programme would be shown, but without the re-enactment sequence. The episode, dedicated to Allen, was transmitted on 25 February 2008.

Cancellation

[edit]

In 2012, Aston announced he was leaving the show after criticising format changes that focused less on archaeological activities.[2]Channel 4 subsequently announced that the finalTime Teamseries would be broadcast in 2013.[2]Viewing figures had been in decline from 2.5 million in 2008 to 1.5 million in November 2011.[2]The regularTime Teamprogramme ended on 24 March 2013. Aston died unexpectedly on 24 June 2013.[18]

In October 2013, Robinson said in an interview withRadio Timesthat he believedTime Teamstill had life in it and suggested that after a three- or four-year absence it could make a return. He also expressed support for a fan-organised Facebook campaign to bring theTime Teamcrew together again to carry out a dig in memory of Aston.[19]The finalTime Teamspecial aired on 7 September 2014.

Revival

[edit]

In December 2020, producer Tim Taylor announced thatTime Teamwould begin airing episodes on aYouTubechannel called "Time Team Classics".[20]Taylor also announced the launch of theTime TeamPatreonpage, allowing fans to financially support efforts to revive the series.[20]On 29 January 2021, the project exceeded its goal of 3,000 patrons.[21]

On 17 May 2021, Taylor made an announcement on the return of the series, with episodes planned to air for free on the YouTube channel.[3]Confirmed team members includedCarenza Lewis,John Gater,Helen Geake,Stewart Ainsworth,Raysan Al-Kubaisi, Neil Emmanuel, Naomi Sewpaul, Matt Williams, Henry Chapman, Dani Wootton, Brigid Gallagher, Neil Holbrook,Suzannah Lipscomb,Jimmy Adcock,Natalie Haynes,Derek Pitman,Lawrence Shaw,Pete Spencer, and several returning production team members.[3]

In September 2021, it was announced thatGus Casely-HayfordandNatalie Hayneswould present the revived series.[22]

Series 21 featured two three-part episodes, each covering a new dig conducted in 2021.[23]The first of these episodes, which premiered between 18 and 20 March 2022, covered the excavation of anIron Agesettlement on theLizard Peninsulain Cornwall.[24][25][26]The second episode premiered between 8 and 10 April 2022 and featured the excavation of aRoman villain the grounds ofBroughton Castlein Oxfordshire, discovered bymetal detectoristand amateur archaeologist Keith Westcott in 2016.[27][28][29][30]

Time Team returned to Broughton Castle to answer questions related to a mysterious stone sarcophagus. The first of this two-part episode premiered on 22 December 2022.[31]

Further episodes were released in 2023 and 2024:

On 8 March 2024, the Time Team YouTube channel announced plans to digSutton Hoo,nearWoodbridge, Suffolk,in June 2024.[37]A feature-length documentary of the dig will be presented by Tony Robinson and is to be released in 2025.[38]

Music

[edit]

The series' original theme music was composed byPaul Greedus.[39]

The majority of the incidental tracks and main themes for the show, and for many of the specials (Dinosaur Hunting in Montana, D-Day, The Big Dig etc) were composed by Steve Day.[40][better source needed]

Other formats

[edit]
Main articles:History Hunters,Time Team Digs,Time Team Extra,Time Team Live,andTime Team America

Time Team's Big Digwas an expansion on the live format. A weekend of live broadcasts in June 2003 was preceded by a week of daily short programmes. It involved about a thousand members of the public in excavating test pits each one metre square by fifty centimetres deep. Most of these pits were in private gardens and the project stirred up controversies about approaches topublic archaeology.

Time Team's Big Roman Dig(2005) saw this format altered, in an attempt to avoid previous controversies, through the coverage of nine archaeological sites around the UK which were already under investigation by professional archaeologists.Time Teamcovered the action through live link-ups based at a Roman Villa atDinningtonin Somerset – itself aTime Teamexcavation from 2003. Over 60 other professionally supervised excavations were supported byTime Teamand carried out around the country in association with the programme. A further hundred activities relating to Roman history were carried out by schools and other institutions around the UK.

Time Team Specialsare documentary programmes about topics in history and archaeology made by the same production company. They are generally presented by Robinson and often feature one or more of the familiar faces from the regular programme ofTime Team.In some cases the programme makers have followed the process of discovery at a large commercial or research excavation by another body, such as that to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the ending of theFirst World Warat theVampire dugoutinBelgium.Time Teamusually does not carry out excavations for these programmes, but may contribute a reconstruction.

Time Team History of Britainsaw Robinson and the team document everything they have learned up to now and show a history of Britain.Behind the Scenes of Time Teamshowed meetings of the archaeologists, and material not transmitted during the episode of the dig.10 Years of Time Teampresented a round-up of what has happened in Time Team over the past 10 years and what they expect to happen in the future.

The Time Team website (editor Steve Platt) won a BAFTA for interactive entertainment (factual) in 2002.[41]

Influence

[edit]

Time Teamhas been credited with promoting archaeology in the UK. In a 2008 report produced byEnglish Heritage,aworking groupof Palaeolithic specialists recognised the importance of the show in "promoting public awareness" ofPalaeolithic Britain,something which they argued was to be encouraged.[42]

DVD releases

[edit]

Complete series have been released in Australia starting with Series 15 in 2010.[43] Since then, Series 12 (2014),[44] Series 14 (2012),[45] Series 16 (2010),[46] Series 17 (2011),[47] Series 18 (2012),[48] Series 19 (2012)[49] and Series 20 (2013)[50]have all been released in Australia. 'Best Of' DVDs were released in the UK over the years; however, a complete series had never been released until Series 18 was released byAcorn Media UKon 6 February 2012. On 15 May 2012, Acorn Media released a collection of Roman-themed episodes on Region One DVD.

Footnotes

[edit]
  1. ^Including specials
  2. ^Excluding advertisements
  3. ^ Time Teamwas made in partnership between VideoText Communications Ltd and Picturehouse Television Co. Ltd (based inLondon). Recently formed Wildfire Television was involved in the production ofThe Big Roman Dig(2005) andThe Big Royal Dig(2006). It was produced by Taylor, the show's originator, with Robinson as associate producer.
  4. ^Time Team Americawas co-produced byOregon Public Broadcastingand Videotext/C4i.

References

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related toTime Team.
  1. ^"TimeTeamOfficial".youtube.com.Retrieved28 March2024.
  2. ^abcdConlan, Tara (20 October 2012)."Channel 4 consignsTime Teamto TV history ".The Guardian.
  3. ^abcTime Teamassemble: Sites, team, and new dig watch.Exclusive news!. Time Team. 17 May 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 11 December 2021.Retrieved19 May2021.
  4. ^Platt, Steve."Tony Robinson interview".Channel 4.Retrieved23 October2007.
  5. ^Bremner, Jade (28 March 2013)."Tony Robinson on Walking Through History, Time Team and Blackadder".Radio Times.
  6. ^"Alzheimers ends glittering career for Linslade scholar".Leighton Buzzard Observer.1 May 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 30 October 2014.Retrieved19 October2014.
  7. ^ab"IMDB Episodes cast for Time Team".Internet Movie Database.Retrieved12 March2015.
  8. ^abArnold, Ben (8 February 2012)."Time Teamexpert quits after show hires former model ".TV News.Yahoo!.Archived fromthe originalon 11 October 2014.Retrieved8 February2012.
  9. ^Aston, Mick (11 February 2012)."The danger of losing touch with our history".Western Daily Press.Archived fromthe originalon 6 October 2014.
  10. ^Taylor, Tim (13 February 2012)."Farewell to Mick?".Scribd.com.Archived fromthe originalon 29 September 2013.Retrieved21 October2013.
  11. ^"Time Team archaeologist Raksha Dave lectures in Leeds".BBC Leeds.27 July 2010.
  12. ^"Time Team archaeologist joins Chester".University of Chester.25 February 2009. Archived fromthe originalon 29 July 2017.Retrieved14 July2017.
  13. ^"Time Team behind the scenes secrets revealed in Oswestry".Shropshire Star.12 January 2015.Retrieved19 September2022.
  14. ^"New Time Team crew members hail from Bournemouth University".Bournemouth University.Retrieved19 September2022.
  15. ^Norton, Andrew (31 May 2016)."Our New Man in Wales".Wessex Archaeology.Retrieved19 September2022.
  16. ^Khalsa, Balihar (22 October 2012)."Time Team buried by C4".Broadcast.London.Retrieved31 January2013.
  17. ^"Fatal jousting accident man named".BBC News.24 October 2007.Retrieved12 July2013.
  18. ^"Mick Aston, ex-Time Team expert, dies aged 66".BBC News.25 June 2013.Retrieved28 April2022.
  19. ^Lazarus, Susanna (12 October 2013)."Tony Robinson: I see no reason whyTime Teamcan't return ".Radio Times.Retrieved21 October2013.
  20. ^abAnnouncement.Time Team. 4 December 2020.Archivedfrom the original on 11 December 2021 – via www.youtube.com.
  21. ^Announcement.Time Team. 29 January 2021.Archivedfrom the original on 11 December 2021.Retrieved30 January2021– via YouTube.
  22. ^@thetimeteam (11 September 2021)."Official announcement! Meet Time Team's new presenters!"(Tweet) – viaTwitter.
  23. ^"Time Team – Time Team reveals trailer and new episode release dates".www.timeteamdigital.com.Retrieved28 April2022.
  24. ^Boden Iron Age Fogou, Cornwall. Day 1, Series 21 (Dig 1).Retrieved19 March2022.
  25. ^Boden Iron Age Fogou, Cornwall. Day 1, Series 21 (Dig 1).Retrieved19 March2022– via YouTube.
  26. ^Boden Iron Age Fogou, Cornwall. Day 3, Series 21 (Dig 1),retrieved21 March2022– via YouTube
  27. ^Broughton Roman Villa, Oxfordshire. Day 1, Series 21 (Dig 2).Retrieved28 April2022.
  28. ^Broughton Roman Villa, Oxfordshire. Day 2, Series 21 (Dig 2),retrieved28 April2022– via YouTube
  29. ^Broughton Roman Villa, Oxfordshire. Day 3, Series 21 (Dig 2).Retrieved28 April2022– via YouTube.
  30. ^Edwards, Roseanne (23 August 2018)."How a detectorist uncovered one of the largest Roman villas in Britain".inews.co.uk.DMG Media.Retrieved28 April2022.
  31. ^"Return to the Roman Sarcophagus (Day 1)".
  32. ^"Day 1: Knights Hospitaller Preceptory".
  33. ^"Greece Hidden City: Part 1 (Vlochos)".
  34. ^"Mortar Wreck: Time Team Expedition Crew joins dive on Medieval shipwreck!".
  35. ^"Day 1: Anglo-Saxon Cemetery".
  36. ^"Day 1: Modbury Community Dig".
  37. ^"Time Team to dig at Sutton Hoo in 2024".www.timeteamdigital.com.
  38. ^"Time Team to dig Sutton Hoo 2024".
  39. ^"Paul Greedus".IMDb(Internet Movie Database).Amazon.com, Inc.Archived fromthe originalon 14 June 2021.Retrieved14 June2021.
  40. ^"Steve Day".IMDb.Retrieved7 August2022.
  41. ^"Interactive in 2002 | BAFTA Awards".BAFTA.Retrieved19 February2023.
  42. ^"Research and Conservation Framework for the British Palaeolithic".English Heritage. 1 April 2008. p. 17.Retrieved30 September2016.
  43. ^ "Codnor Castle and Other Digs".ABC Shop(DVD).Time Team,series 15.ABCCommercial Development Unit. 2010.Retrieved19 August2012.
  44. ^ "Chenies Manor House and Other Digs".ABC Shop(DVD).Time Team,series 12.ABCCommercial Development Unit. 2014.Retrieved19 August2012.
  45. ^ "Hookes Court and Other Digs".ABC Shop(DVD).Time Team,series 14.ABCCommercial Development Unit. 9 March 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 9 May 2013.Retrieved19 August2012.
  46. ^ "Friars Wash & Other Digs".ABC Shop(DVD).Time Team,series 16.ABCCommercial Development Unit. 17 December 2010.Retrieved19 August2012.
  47. ^ "Westminster Abbey and Other Digs".ABC Shop(DVD).Time Team,series 17.ABCCommercial Development Unit. 15 October 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 9 May 2013.Retrieved19 August2012.
  48. ^ "Tottiford and Other Digs".ABC Shop(DVD).Time Team,series 18.ABCCommercial Development Unit. 2012.Retrieved19 August2012.
  49. ^ "Earl's Colne Prioiry and Other Digs".ABC Shop(DVD).Time Team,series 19.ABCCommercial Development Unit. 2012.Retrieved21 October2013.
  50. ^ "Dundrum Castle and Other Digs".ABC Shop(DVD).Time Team,series 20.ABCCommercial Development Unit. 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 21 October 2013.

Bibliography

[edit]
  • "Research and Conservation Framework for the British Palaeolithic".English Heritage. 1 April 2008.Retrieved30 September2016.
  • Current Archaeologymagazine
  • Ambrus, Victor & Aston, Mick (2001).Recreating the Past.Tempus.
  • Aston, Mick (2002) [2000].Mick's Archaeology(new ed.). Tempus.
  • Gaffney, Chris & Gater, John (2003).Revealing the Buried Past: Geophysics for Archaeologists.Tempus.
  • Lewis, Carenza; Harding, Phil & Aston, Mick (2000). Taylor, Tim (ed.).Time Team's Timechester.Channel 4 Books.
  • Pryor, Francis (2005).Flag Fen: Life and Death of a Prehistoric Landscape.Tempus.
  • Robinson, Tony & Aston, Mick (2002).Archaeology is Rubbish.Channel 4 Books.
  • Taylor, Tim (1998).Behind the Scenes at Time Team.photographs by Bennett, Chris. Channel 4 Books.
  • Taylor, Tim (1999).The Ultimate Time Team Companion: An alternative history of Britain.Macmillan.
  • Taylor, Tim (2001).Digging the Dirt.Channel 4 Books.
  • Taylor, Tim (2005).Time Team Guide to the Archaeological Sites of Britain and Ireland.Channel 4 Books.
[edit]
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