17th August 2023
UKTV have recommissioned their hit classic car show, Bangers & Cash for the Yesterday channel and free streaming service UKTV Play, for 46 new episodes across four new series following on from the two series yet to air. The commission represents the highest number of episodes ever ordered by the network for one programme at one time. Alongside this, 12 more episodes across two new series of the spin-off, Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics, have been ordered, which will bring the total to six series.
Bangers & Cash follows the work of the Mathewsons Classic Car Auction, a three-generation dynasty of classic car auctioneers led by head of the family, Derek Mathewson, alongside his two sons, Paul and Dave. Mathewsons, and their long-suffering team, discover and auction over 4,000 classic and rare cars a year, as well as all kinds of rare commercial vehicles, vintage motorbikes and auto memorabilia.
Bangers & Cash continues to be the most popular programme on Yesterday, with series seven averaging 744k individuals per episode, and Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics series two averaging an audience of 647k individuals per episode, with the finale rising to 760k individuals*. Across both programmes, the two shows have reached an incredible 19m individuals combined on Yesterday and Dave to date, and in 2022, Bangers & Cash was the top performing UKTV Original on the free streaming service UKTV Play.
In recognition of its success, this year the programme was awarded the Gamechanger of the Year Award at the 2023 Broadcast Digital Awards, with judges stating that the programme "exceeds every traditional expectation of the genre".
Bangers & Cash and Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics are commissioned for UKTV by commissioning editor, Kirsty Hanson and ordered by Yesterday channel director, Gerald Casey and deputy director of commissioning, Hilary Rosen. Produced by Air TV, executive producers are Andy Joynson and Morland Sanders.
UKTV's Kirsty Hanson said,
I'm so pleased we can demonstrate our commitment to Air TV, the Mathewsons, and our viewers with such a large order of episodes for Bangers & Cash. It's such a pleasure to work on the Bangers & Cash franchise and I'm personally very excited to continue our collaboration across the next few years.
Air TV's Andy Joynson said,
I'm delighted that UKTV have committed to creating so many new series of Bangers & Cash and Restoring Classics. There really is a limitless supply of astonishing cars out there for the Mathewsons to feature, restore and auction. It's a privilege to be able to spend more time making a programme we love making.
Gerald Casey said,
Bangers is at the heart of the Yesterday schedule and it's a phenomenal achievement to be able to recommission so many new series at once. We're proud that we can continue to make a programme that resonates with such a large audience and continues to excite both Yesterday and UKTV Play viewers.
Derek Mathewson said,
More Bangers & Cash? Well, it's amazing, isn't it? Who would have thought it? I thought we'd have done a series. Two would have been a bonus, like. But then again, now I realise the popularity of the show. The amount of people who visit us and say they've come specifically to see the place from TV, and they're so enthusiastic about it. And to this day I still get people say that the programme got them through lockdown - that means an awful lot to us.
The new order was first announced live on stage at Bangers & Cash Live. The sold-out show, UKTV's first ever commercial event, saw over 7,000 people attend across Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th August at Scampston Hall in North Yorkshire, where fans were treated to Q&As, live entertainment and a real Mathewsons auction which saw the sale of classic cars, bikes and memorabilia.
The new, record order of episodes is on top of the previously commissioned new series of Bangers & Cash which begins on the Yesterday channel tonight (Thursday 17th August) at 8pm. A previously commissioned new series of Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics will also follow later this year, and all episodes of both series continue to be available to stream for free on UKTV Play.
For more information please contact:
Dave Barnsby, UKTV Senior Publicity Manager
Notes to Editors:
- Source BARB: TechEdge. Numbers Include full 28-day consolidation and same-week repeats.
Mathewsons image: https://uktv.thirdlight.com/pf.tlx/qzNqEFLqzoQzY3
About Yesterday
Freeview 27 | Sky 155 | Virgin 129 | Freesat 159 | Youview 27
Stream for free on UKTV Play |
TV for curious minds, revealing fascinating factual stories from the world around us.
Yesterday showcases original series such as Abandoned Engineering and Secrets of the London Underground as well as new and exclusive observational documentaries, including Bangers & Cash, The Architecture the Railways Built and Hornby: A Model World. The channel also features seminal war documentaries such as The World at War.
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, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media, BT, TalkTalk, YouView, Freesat and Amazon Fire. The broadcaster 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.
About Air TV
Air TV is one of the UK's fastest growing independent production companies specialising in high quality returning factual series ranging from motoring to blue light and property.
Based in Yorkshire, it was a finalist in the 2023 Broadcast Digital Awards. Air TV programmes include Bangers & Cash, Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics and 999 Rescue Squad for UKTV, Warplane Workshop for More4 and Helicopter ER, Derelict Rescue and Supercar Showroom for Warner Bros. Discovery.