Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

In the second episode of the series, Gregg Wallace visits a sock factory in Leicester that produces one and a half million socks annually.

To keep their feet nice and warm, the British spend almost 723 million pounds a year on socks! In the second episode of this new series, Gregg Wallace visits a sock factory in Leicester that produces one and a half million socks annually. This atmospheric factory is a fascinating mix of Wallace and Gromit-style and high-tech machinery, with a close-knit team of highly skilled operators.

Elsewhere in the episode, Cherry Healey finds out what causes smelly feet and pounds the pavements to test out which socks best tackle this stinky situation. She visits a cotton spinning factory in Manchester, whose high-tech machinery produces 4,200 miles of yarn every hour, and meets a revolutionary eco cotton supplier.

Historian Ruth Goodman steps back into the 1980s, when socks were at the height of fashion. And she ventures further back to the Great War, when the ‘Kitchener stitch’ helped to save the feet of British soldiers in the trenches.

59 minutes

Last on

Wed 8 Feb 2023 19:00

Music Played

  • The Royal Doulton Band

    Sousarama

  • Fats Domino

    I'm Walkin'

  • Bananarama

    Venus

  • New Order

    Blue Monday

  • Spandau Ballet

    Gold

  • Eurythmics

    Sweet Dreams

  • Simple Minds

    Don't You (Forget About Me)

  • Paloma Faith

    Upside Down

  • Supergrass

    Alright

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Gregg Wallace
Presenter Cherry Healey
Presenter Ruth Goodman
Director Gavin Ahern
Series Producer Nicola Lafferty
Executive Producer Lucy Carter
Executive Producer Sanjay Singhal
Production Company Voltage TV

Broadcasts

Learn more about the history of the factory and how it has evolved with an interactive from The Open University.

The fascinating stories behind the production of some of our favourite products.