Local Heroes (British TV series)
Local Heroes is a science and history television programme in the United Kingdom, presented by Adam Hart-Davis. Made by Screenhouse Productions and directed by Paul Bader, it was first aired on the ITV regional network Yorkshire Television in 1991. In the show, Adam Hart-Davis, dressed in the pink and yellow cycling clothes that would become the show's trademark, rode around the YTV region (including Yorkshire, Norfolk and Lincolnshire) on a matching pink and yellow bicycle, stopping in a particular area to tell the stories of scientists that lived or were born there . These stories were embellished by experiments, performed on the street by Hart-Davis, generally using bits of wood and junk from a trailer on his bike. This hobo-meets-Johnny Ball style approach to science-education proved appealing, and after two series, the show was sold to the national BBC2 network in 1994. The move saw two changes: the scope of the show was expanded nationwide, with a different region visited each episode; and the theme tune was changed from "No More Heroes" by The Stranglers to a twee and plinky number, more in keeping with the programme genre. Eventually  this was replaced by a more upbeat theme, by "Wallace and Gromit" composer Julian Nott, played by a Czech orchestra. Since then, the series has covered over 200 'heroes', and has seen several special episodes. The first special saw Hart-Davis visit Egypt to investigate ancient heroes, while another took him to Italy for a Renaissance special. Another notable show was the finale of the last series (to date), which was performed in front of a live audience at the Royal Institution, much in the style of the Institution's Christmas Lectures. The show continued until 2000. Since then, Hart -Davis has moved on to other shows, and the bbc.co.uk Local Heroes pages have now been deleted, suggesting that no further series are planned. Series 2. 1 Devon: Isambard Kingdom Brunel: 2 Scotland: Alexander Bain (inventor): Electro-chemical telegraph 3 East: William Harvey: Reformed incorrect thinking about the circulation of blood. Benjamin Wiseman: Patented a Windmill in 1783. 4 North East: John Walker (inventor): Invented the friction match. Charles Algernon Parsons: Invented the steam turbine. 5 Wales: Thomas Telford: Developed a system for road building & built bridges. Alfred Russel Wallace: Devised theory of natural selection jointly with Darwin. 6 South  East: Samuel Morland: Invented giant megaphones and was master mechanic to Charles II Hertha Ayrton: Invented way of clearing trenches of Mustard Gas. Series 3. 1 Devon and Cornwall: Thomas Newcomen et al. 2 London: Cornelius Drebbel et al. 3 South: Robert Hooke et al. 4 Special - Egypt 5 Special - Italy 6 Special - Science Week Series 4. 1 South: Henry Cavendish et al. 2 East of Scotland: James Dewar et al. 3 Cotswolds: William Henry Fox Talbot et al. 4 St Pauls: Heroines