22nd May 2024
UKTV has commissioned Masters of Reinvention (6×60′) for its leading factual channel Yesterday and free streaming service UKTV Play, to be produced by Air TV.
In the new series, multi-award-winning mechanical engineer and broadcaster, Dr Shini Somara (Tomorrow’s Food, BBC One) will turn to back copies of Practical Mechanics magazine – once the bible of British inventors – to challenge a dream design team to update its vintage blueprints for the 21st century.
Each week Dr Shini will lead a diverse crew of engineers, crafters and gadgeteers to update inventions dating back to the 1930s, 40s, 50s or 60s using only Practical Mechanics’ faded plans as a guide. Working from a repurposed vintage shed on a Yorkshire airfield, the build teams will be drawn from a consistent pool of returning experts, with Dr Shini allocating team members to the projects that most suits their skills.
Masters of Reinvention has been commissioned for UKTV by commissioning editor Kirsty Hanson with head of factual and factual entertainment Helen Nightingale, and ordered by Yesterday channel director, Gerald Casey, and director of commissioning, Hilary Rosen. Produced by Air TV, the production company that makes Bangers & Cash, the executive producers are Matt Richards and Ian Cundall, and the series producer is Ben Bhatia.
UKTV’s Kirsty Hanson said,
“Britain is a nation of inventors and it’s brilliant to not only celebrate that, but inspire our viewers to be ambitious and creative with their spare time. Masters of Reinvention feels like an exciting, new turn of the wheel for Yesterday.”
Gerald Casey said,
“Yesterday viewers will love how Masters of Reinvention combines innovation and invention in a new format, revealing how designers and engineers use their expertise to build gadgets from scratch.”
Air TV’s Matt Richards said,
“It’s great to be working with UKTV on this innovative and authentic new format combining inspiration from the past with innovation for the future. The team will be attempting to build everything from powered cars, to sailing boats and bizarre gadgets. It’s going to be a real challenge and the team can’t wait to get started.”
Dr Shini Somara said,
“We haven’t yet reinvented the wheel, so I’m curious and amped on how and why we can improve on the ingenuities of yesteryear!”
UKTV recently announced its intention to launch U – a new Masterbrand that will unite its family of free-to-air channels and its free streaming service. Launching in Summer 2024, the move will see its current streaming service UKTV Play transition to U and UKTV’s family of free-to-air channels will become U&DAVE, U&DRAMA, U&YESTERDAY and U&W.
Masters of Reinvention will air in 2025 on U&Yesterday and available on free streaming service U. Yesterday is the home of other new UKTV Originals including Bangers & Cash, Canal Boat Diaries, Find It, Fix It, Flog It and Dream Car Fixers.
Masters of Reinvention is being distributed worldwide by BBC Studios.
Ends
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Notes to Editors:
Masters of Reinvention images featuring Dr Shini are available here.
About Dr Shini
Dr Shini trained as a mechanical engineer, completing a PHD in Computational Fluid Dynamics at Brunel University London. Her previous presenting roles include The Health Show and Tomorrow’s Food both for the BBC, and Smoke and Steel on Yesterday.
About Yesterday
Freeview 27 | Sky 155 | Virgin 129 | Freesat 159 | Youview 27
Stream for free on UKTV Play | uktvplay.co.uk/channel/yesterday | @yesterdaytweets
TV for curious minds, revealing fascinating factual stories from the world around us.
Yesterday showcases original series such as Dream Car Fixers and Secrets of the London Underground as well as new and exclusive observational documentaries, including Bangers & Cash, Find It, Fix It, Flog It and Canal boat Diaries.
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands – Dave, Gold, W, Drama, Alibi, Eden and Yesterday – span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to audiences through UKTV Play, Sky, Virgin Media, NOW, Freeview and Freesat; and to Irish viewers through Sky, Virgin Media, Eir, Vodafone and NOW. Channel & content availability varies by platform. UKTV’s content is also available to UK viewers via dedicated FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee Pluto TV and Virgin Media.
UKTV is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers. UKTV is part of BBC Studios, the UK’s most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world’s leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.
corporate.uktv.co.uk | press.uktv.co.uk | @uktvpress
About Air TV
Air TV is one of the fastest-growing independent production companies in the UK with an unrivalled reputation for creating high-volume award-winning factual TV.
In 2023 they won the “Gamechanger Programme of the Year” award at the Broadcast Digital Awards for the ratings-busting classic car show Bangers & Cash on UKTV’s Yesterday channel.
