Channel 5 returns to the UK’s most remote outpost this weekend with Episode 2 of Summer in the Scilly Isles, airing Sunday, May 25 at 8:00 PM GMT.
Narrated by Fern Britton, the docuseries continues its inside look at life on the tiny archipelago 28 miles off the Cornish coast, where a handful of islands, shifting tides, and a fiercely tight-knit population make for a distinctively British microcosm.
This week’s installment centers on the final week of term at the Isles’ only secondary school, where students from the outlying islands board on St Mary’s during the week—effectively living away from their families Monday to Friday. It’s part of the logistical gymnastics that define life on the Scillies, where geography impacts everything from schooling to democracy.
On that note: as the 2024 general election unfolds across the UK, Scilly faces its own procedural snag. A tide-dependent ferry may delay the ballot count—potentially holding up national results if the island’s late return proves decisive.
Elsewhere, islanders juggle summer tourism with sustainability efforts. A baker on St Martins experiments with seaweed-based bread, while a marine conservation team attempts to tag elusive blue sharks offshore.
Produced by Knickerbockerglory for Channel 5, the series is part of the network’s steady run of UK-set factuals with a local lens. Episode 2 continues the channel’s Sunday night strategy targeting viewers seeking warmth, quirk, and low-stakes escapism.
