Watch Narrow Escapes on Channel 4

Narrow Escapes returns to Channel 4 for its second series, following the lives of people who call our canals home. Whether it be retirees looking for freedom, young people searching for an affordable way of living, newlyweds, families or divorcees, we’ll be introduced to a host of new characters and some updates with everyone’s favourites from series one.

From continuous cruisers to business owners operating from their boats and the workers and volunteers on land who maintain canals and rivers, Narrow Escapes is a snapshot of modern life on the canals. Tune in to find out how the Canal & River Trust care for canals and rivers, keeping them open for boaters, local communities and visitors.

How we care for canals for future generations 

Every year the Canal & River Trust undertakes a programme of winter repairs and conservation work, replacing hundreds of lock gates, fixing leaks and repairing bridges. Narrow Escapes met our team at the Bradley workshop see how lock gates are manufactured before visiting our lock gate replacement works at Kings Sutton and the Wolverhampton flight.

The role volunteers play in canal conservation 

The Trust couldn’t do what it does without our fantastic volunteers, throughout the show you’ll see them helping boaters through locks and offering advice on the stretches of canal they know so well. At Stanley Flight on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, lock keeping legend Sid helps boaters Debs and Mick tackle the lock flight on their way to Liverpool.

How we create homes for wildlife 

Our canals are home to many different species, including the endangered water vole. After the canal banks of the Kennet & Avon in Hungerford were damaged by thirsty cattle, they were repaired using a pioneering method of soft bank protection that helps to reinstates water vole habitats. In this episode, Ecologist Laura Mullholland takes to the water with our Let’s Paddle instructors to look for signs of water voles which are sadly still in decline. 

Improving access to canals and rivers for all 

Tracey and Tim Clarke from series one are back, after launching the Accessible Waterways Association last series they have been working with Canal & River Trust to create a new mooring bollard for boaters with accessibility needs. Working with students from Walsall College, a prototype of the bollard is revealed at Icknield Port in Birmingham. The bollard will be on show at Crick Boat Show in May, where visitors can have a go at mooring up with it.

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.

How to watch Narrow Escapes

Series two of Narrow Escapes will be broadcast on Channel 4 on Monday 5 May and the show will go out on weekdays at 4pm. For those who can’t wait for more - the first full week will also be streaming as a boxset on the Channel 4 website.