The one-off documentary is to be shown on Channel 4 on Thursday 23rd August at 9pm. It will reveal some of the secrets behind the UK’s most well known theme park and introduce viewers to the team behind Wicker Man, the first new wooden roller coaster to launch in the UK for more than 20 years.
Filmed over several months, the documentary follows the team at the Staffordshire theme park as they complete construction of Wicker Man, a family thrill-ride with a huge sculpture at its heart that appears to burst into flames as the ride rushes through it.
The project team reveal how the ride was designed, constructed and tested to make sure it is completely safe and delivers a ride thrilling enough to stand alongside Alton Towers’ other iconic roller coasters.
As the theme park prepares to open the attraction to the public, senior members of the team reveal how important the success of the £16m attraction is, as they strive to rebuild trust with visitors following the incident on The Smiler in 2015.
Divisional Director of Alton Towers, Ian Crabbe, first fell in love with the park as a nine-year old boy. He told the filmmakers:
"My hope is that Wicker Man will deliver a new set of experiences. You have to get off a coaster thinking ‘wow’ that really made the difference to my heartbeat, my emotions and the way I feel. But for me, Wicker Man’s importance is personal and runs much deeper. I am totally in love with this business and we have to get Wicker Man absolutely right. If it doesn’t deliver, in giving the guests the right experience to bring them back wanting more, we’ve failed. There’s a lot at stake and there’s no turning back.”
The documentary has been made for Channel 4 by Films of Record, one of the UK's longest established television production companies who specialise in making popular factual programmes for all the major broadcasters.
The director is Michael Ogden, whose previous credits include ‘The Pilgrimage: The Road to Santiago’ for BBC Two, and ‘Class of ’92: Still out of their league’ for BBC One.
