BBC TV Countryfile’s Ellie Harrison finds wildlife in old Tower Hamlets cemetery
Countryfile's Ellie Harrison with Ken Greenway at the cemetery - Credit: TH Cemetery Park
TV presenter Ellie Harrison is a country girl at heart—so you might wonder why she came to the urban East End of London to learn more about wildlife.
The Countryfile host arrived at Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park off the Mile End Road with a camera crew to meet its manager, Ken Greenway, and tour the disused Victorian burial grounds that have become a haven for wildlife.
Her report is being transmitted on Sunday at 5.30pm in BBC1’s six-part series ‘Britain’s Big Wildlife Revival.’
“I’m a country girl and I’ve always loved the countryside and its wildlife,” said Ellie, after recording her piece.
“Now I want to learn more about the wildlife habitats in London that sometimes we take for granted. I want people to get passionate about helping preserve the animals and the places where they live.”
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Sunday’s programme finds out how urban wildlife copes alongside people in the middle of crowded urban neighbourhoods.
Ellie chose the cemetery at Mile End because it is London’s biggest urban woodland. Each episode focuses on a key habitat, woodland, rivers, farmland, coasts, urban and wetland. The cemetery is both woodland and urban.
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It was Ken Greenway’s big moment in the spotlight, appearing on national TV promoting the cemetery he lovingly tends.
He said: “We work hard to bring the countryside into London’s East End.
“But to feature in a TV wildlife series is certainly kudos—now we’ve been noticed by the BBC!”
He organises a walk every third Sunday of the month at 2pm to tour the wild grounds, meeting by the Soanes education centre inside the main entrance in Southern Grove.
