Weekend Escapes with Warwick Davis

S01E02: Sussex

Warwick and his family attend a flying competition in Worthing, visit a medieval festival and watch a race where the competitors drive lawn mowers. This week the Davis family are trying out ‘glamping’, camping in style, at a Sussex campsite. After they get settled in they they head off to Worthing which is home to the Worthing Birdman Competition for two days every year. The contest sees competitors trying to ‘fly’ by launching themselves off a 30ft platform over the English Channel. Anyone who manages to fly for 100 metres wins a £10,000 prize. Warwick officially opens the event with the Mayor of Worthing and the family watches as numerous competitors have a go at flying and end up falling straight in the sea. Warwick says: “It certainly does celebrate English eccentricity at its most extreme really doesn’t it?” Next, the family visit Billingshurst, home to an annual lawn mower race and a place Warwick visited with his parents when he was young. The competition is a 12 hour endurance race with each team made up of three drivers who share the driving. Warwick is invited to fulfill a life-long ambition by having a go at racing a lawn mower around the track. He says: “The family seem to be enjoying themselves although I think they might be a bit worried that I might want to take this up as a hobby sport which I kind of do actually. I wouldn’t mind jumping on a mower and doing this every few weeks.” For the last part of their Sussex trip, the Davis family visit Robertsbridge which is steeped in medieval history. They visit Bodiam Castle and a medieval festival where they learn about medieval customs and have a go at archery. Warwick says: “It’s great family entertainment isn’t it, learning to kill.” Warwick immerses himself in the festival by dressing up in traditional costume and taking part in a battle reenactment playing the part of a negotiator. Unfortunately his negotiation efforts do not succeed and his side loses. Speaking about his time in Sussex, Warwick says: “For me the highlight of Sussex was undoubtedly the lawn mower racing. Actually being able to sit on one and race round the track was absolutely amazing. So I’ll be taking the blades off my lawn mower when we get home and I’ll be racing it round the garden.”