AWARD-WINNING BBC documentary series Coast will feature Newlyn in its new series – focusing on the fish festival and the tale of the lugger Mystery.
Presenter Nick Crane will visit the seaside town this Bank Holiday Monday where he is expected to take part in the first Cornish Fishmonger Of The Year competition at the festival.The other half of the filming will focus on the story of the Spirit Of Mystery in which British yachtsman Pete Goss replicated the remarkable voyage of the Mystery to Australia in 1854.
Producer Anna Riggs said the episode featuring Newlyn would form part of one episode focusing on harbours in a new format for the show.
"The episode will contain between six and eight films looking at harbours up and down the country, including an old Roman harbour in Yorkshire," she said.
"The fish festival epitomises the trade and commercial aspect of what harbours are for. It will feature lots of events which we would like to cover, including the fishmonger of the year competition which highlights the unsung heroes of the industry.
"And the story of the Mystery provides an extra angle about times that were really tough."
The tale of the voyage of seven Cornish fishermen in their lugger the Mystery in 1854 to Melbourne to try their hand in the Gold Rush, was replicated by Pete Goss in 2008.
Closely following the voyage of the Mystery, Pete Goss and his crew swung round the Cape heading for Australia.
Five days before they arrived in the Australian city, they were hit by a huge wave.
The incident almost capsized the vessel and broke crew member Mark Maidment's leg.
Mark was airlifted to hospital, while the damaged vessel crawled into its destination.
As well as the tale of the infamous lugger, the episode will feature the Newlyn Fish Festival, where Nick Crane will try filleting fish as part of the Cornish Fish Monger of the Year competition.
Sarah Crosbie, manager of organisers Seafood Cornwall Training said this was the first year an event of this kind has been held in Cornwall.
"The competition aims to highlight the expertise of Cornish fish filleters and fishmongers from across the county, at the same time as promoting Cornish fish and the profession to a wider audience," she said.
"Nick will be taking part at the beginning of the competition and may also be involved in the heats. Duncan Lucas will show Nick some of the techniques required in filleting fish to demonstrate how challenging it is."
The competition will start at 3pm, with heats at 3.30pm and presentations at 4.30pm inside the auction.
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN