Enjoy the third series from Channel 4 and learn more about how we're protecting canals for everyone to enjoy.
The Oxford Canal, Narrow Escapes, Channel 4
Narrow Escapes is back for a third series, bringing fresh adventures, unforgettable characters and stunning journeys across the UK’s waterways.
Launching on Monday 1 June on Channel 4, the new 20-part series will air weekdays at 4pm and be available to stream weekly on Channel 4’s online streaming service.
Across the series, viewers will once again immerse themselves in the rich and varied world of life afloat, from solo adventurers to growing families, and from cosy floating homes to thriving canalside businesses.
The Trust team features in Narrow Escapes on Channel 4
How we care for canals for future generations
The series continues its signature mix of human stories with canalside drama and engineering. From navigating the historic Crofton flight, to discovering how our national hydrology manager, Adam Comerford, is using innovative technology to bring water management into the modern age.
Adam Comerford, National Hydrology Manager, appears in Narrow Escapes
Set against charming natural landscapes, the stories reveal the challenges, joys and personal motivations behind choosing a life on the water. The series also looks at how our charity manages infrastructure emergencies and deals with invasive weeds in Wolverhampton.
Clearing invasive weeds in Wolverhampton
Cast and characters
Among this year’s new cast:
Fergus, building a boutique ice cream parlour on his wide-beam boat
Tom, a first-time boater leaving his family home to embrace a completely new lifestyle aboard a narrowboat
Amy, a performance artist staging a major floating cabaret show
Kate, a stained-glass artist crafting canal-inspired commissions in her floating workshop
Returning favourites include:
Veteran Jay, whose life afloat continues to support his complex PTSD, as he forges a new career as a comedian, taking his show on tour along the canal network
Debs and Mick, racing against time on the canals to reach the church for their wedding
Octogenarian couple Margaret and Tony, returning to their beloved boat for more waterways adventures
Series Two
From continuous cruisers to business owners operating from their boats and the workers and volunteers on land who maintain canals and rivers, Narrow Escapes Series Two is a snapshot of modern life on the canals. Tune in to find out how the Trust cares for canals and rivers, keeping them open for boaters, local communities and visitors.
Looking for signs of water voles
Series One
In series one, we met a cast of boaters living and working on our canals and rivers including young families, first time boat owners, a floating bike shop and a yoga instructor. The Narrow Escapes crew travelled the length and breadth of the canal network, meeting volunteer lock keepers at Caen Hill, taking a trip on the litter boat in Birmingham and finding out more about a wellbeing walk on the towpath. The series aired in April 2024 and was a huge success, even making it onto Gogglebox and newspaper columns.
Filming the first series of Narrow Escapes
How to watch Narrow Escapes
Launching on Monday 1 June on Channel 4, the new 20-part series will air weekdays at 4pm and be available to stream weekly on Channel 4’s online streaming service.
