麻豆社

Access to play, sport and nature shouldn鈥檛 be taken for granted. Join comedian Tony Hawks as he explores the barriers shaping how we play in the UK, and why it matters to us all.

In the final episode, Tony turns from the barriers to playing and having fun in Britain, to the communities creating open and welcoming public spaces where they can play freely. In Exeter, volunteers run weekly free community tennis sessions on public courts that remain accessible without gates or booking systems, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds.

Tony also heads to the River Thames, where he bravely tries cold water swimming within the city. Meeting with campaigners, 鈥妔wimming activists Chris Romer-Lee and Simon Griffiths, they discuss promoting safer public access to urban rivers and better water quality monitoring. This work challenges the assumption that city waterways are too polluted to use, and therefore should remain off-limits.

In Bristol, parents and play advocates temporarily close residential streets so children can safely play outside again, transforming traffic-dominated roads into lively communal spaces.

Across tennis courts, rivers and neighbourhood streets, it's clear that play cannot be just leisure, or a privilege for the few. It's about well-being, connection and community - and how ordinary people can come together to reclaim public space, making it somewhere safe to socialise, exercise and belong.

Presenter: Tony Hawks

Producer: Guy Natanel

Assistant Producer: Lauren Lewis

Executive Producers: Shannon Delwiche and Chris Jones

Composer: Pat Moran

Sound Mixer: David Crackles

A Sound and Bones production for 麻豆社 Radio 4

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