BBC’s U orders new Bangers & Cash specials

Bangers & Cash: Under The Bonnet – Picture shows: Derek, Paul and Dave Mathewson

New Bangers & Cash specials are coming exclusively to U, the BBC owned streaming service previously known as UKTV Play.

Bangers & Cash: Live will follow classic car auctioneers the Mathewson family as they attend a special live event, the centrepiece of which is a Mathewson’s classic car and memorabilia auction. 

The one-off special will showcase the highlights of the event and be narrated by Toby Foster, who also voices the main series, and will be available on demand on U from Thursday 29th August.

The streamer has also commissioned six episodes of Bangers & Cash: Under the Bonnet, which uses previously unseen footage to give viewers a deeper insight into the stories behind some of the cars that have featured on Bangers & Cash and Bangers & Cash Restoring Classics

The new episodes will feature the stories behind projects and restorations, including those of an Audi Quattro, a Mazda MX-5, a Rolls Royce Silver Spirit, a Lotus Elan, and a Ford Escort Mexico. 

The first three episodes are expected to be available in December 2024, with the remainder following in early in 2025. 

U is part of UKTV, the BBC’s commercial broadcasting arm which operates a portfolio of advert and subscription funded channels plus the ad-funded streaming service here in the UK.

The Bangers & Cash franchise continues to be a big audience puller for the service, with views for the series across 2023 growing by +25% YoY. Across its first 7 days, the Bangers & Cash series 9 premiere was the most-viewed episode among all content on U. 

The latest series gets underway today (August 1st) and both it and Bangers & Cash: Restoring Classics have been commissioned for further series.

Both Bangers & Cash: Live and Bangers & Cash: Under the Bonnet are produced by Air TV.

Executive producer Morland Sanders said: “We’re delighted these commissions for U give Bangers fans the chance to watch even more Mathewsons. 

“UKTV has done a great job putting the live event together and we can’t wait to film the auction there. The level of craftsmanship that goes into some of our restorations is incredible, so it’s wonderful we can showcase that in the Under the Bonnet specials as well.” 

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