TV: Adrian Dunbar hits the North coast for some lockdown relief

Line of Duty star Adrian Dunbar has reconnected with his roots for a new programme on Channel 5 where he travels the wild and rugged west and north coasts of Ireland.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Jan 2021, 16:27 BST
Updated 29th Jan 2021, 16:53 BST
Line of Duty actor Adrian Dunbar at the Giant's CausewayLine of Duty actor Adrian Dunbar at the Giant's Causeway
Line of Duty actor Adrian Dunbar at the Giant's Causeway

Covering over 600 miles Adrian visits breathtaking locations, drives beautiful coastal roads, sees fantastic feats of engineering and tastes amazing cuisine. He meets up with old friends and makes new ones along the way.

Adrian shares some of his favourite places and fulfils ambitions as he makes it to locations he’s always wanted to see.

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Belfast based, Afro-Mic Productions, were commissioned in early 2020 to make this two-part travelogue for Channel 5. As pre-production progressed during February and March, so did Covid-19, initially making the possibility of shooting the two-part series seem unlikely.

Adrian Dunbar's Coastal Ireland starts on Thursday, February 4 on Channel 5Adrian Dunbar's Coastal Ireland starts on Thursday, February 4 on Channel 5
Adrian Dunbar's Coastal Ireland starts on Thursday, February 4 on Channel 5

However, by working closely with First Option on Covid-19 protocols, in addition to receiving expert guidance from Tourism Ireland and funding support from Northern Ireland Screen, managing director Emma-Rosa Dias and the Afro-Mic Team produced an ambitious and beautiful series.

Shot during September 2020, with a skeleton film crew as lockdown restrictions eased, Adrian discovered awe inspiring sights, fantastic feats of engineering and of course, caught up with a select group of his old friends along the way.

Maintaining safe filming was a priority on the shoot, but so too was doing justice to the inspiring scenery. Thankfully, due to a fantastic crew and of course, seasoned professional Adrian, capturing the sheer beauty of the Irish Coast was never in doubt.

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Episode one opens with Adrian standing over the perilous, churning waters of Mizen Head, the most Southerly point of Ireland. It’s a scene to behold, and the majesty of Ireland’s coastal landscape represented here remains for his entire journey.

As Adrian moves steadily north towards County Sligo. Along the way he samples some of the West coast’s incredible food and sites of historic importance like the Skellig Island.

Episode two takes the viewer to Northern Ireland. Adrian passes into the country from Donegal by ferry, and proceeds along the world-renowned Antrim North Coast. It’s here he finds legends of the mythic kind at the Giants Causeway, and in human form when he meets motorcycle super star Michael Dunlop.

Afro-Mic’s series ends with the serene beauty of the Mourne Mountains, where Adrian sums up his journey in style surrounded by the landscape that inspired CS Lewis to create Narnia.

The series starts on Thursday at 8pm on Channel 5.

Related topics:Northern IrelandLine of DutyChannel 5NorthMichael DunlopTourism Ireland