Secrets of the London Underground

Lore & Background

The series was commissioned for Yesterday after the success of Tim Dunn's earlier UKTV series The Architecture the Railways Built. The first episode drew 388,300 viewers with a 2.7% share, making it the highest-rated programme on Yesterday and the fifth most-watched non-public service broadcast programme that week. After 659,000 viewers watched the first series—making it Yesterday's highest-rated programme ever—the show was recommissioned for a second series of ten episodes, broadcast between May and July 2022.

Reader's Guide

Secrets of the London Underground has become a significant cultural reference for those interested in the hidden infrastructure of one of the world's oldest metro systems. By focusing on abandoned tunnels, secret bunkers, and hidden staircases, the series reveals layers of history not normally accessible to the public. Its use of the London Transport Museum's Acton Depot archives, often with assistant director and 'Hidden London' co-developer Chris Nix, provides a scholarly yet accessible look at the network's past. The programme's high viewership—making it Yesterday's highest-rated programme ever—demonstrates a sustained public fascination with the Tube's secrets. The series has been recommissioned through four series, indicating its lasting appeal and its role in popularizing transport history.

Did You Know?

• The first episode had 388,300 viewers and a 2.7% share, the highest rated programme on Yesterday.
• The series is produced by Brown Bob Productions and was commissioned for Yesterday by UKTV.
• After 659,000 viewers watched the first series, it became Yesterday's highest rated programme ever.
• A fourth series of ten episodes was commissioned in February 2024 and broadcast between July and September 2024.