Portillo visits Kelham Island and 'the city's looking good'

In May 2022 I was taking a family group on a private walking tour of Kelham Island when on leaving Globe Works we spotted TV cameras set up on the other side of the road. And who should they be filming but Michael Portillo walking along the pavement past the grand frontage of Globe Works that faces Penistone Road. I assumed it would be for his popular TV series Great British Railway Journeys, and finally the footage has appeared in episode three of his latest series.

It’s a bit of a case of blink and you’ll miss it, but in between visits to Samuel Staniforth, a knife manufacturer based in Halfway, and the Cutlers’ Hall in the city centre, you see a clip of Portillo striding past Globe Works. Me and the tour I’m leading are just out of shot to the right.

I’ve long been a fan of the series that gives you a glimpse into the fascinating history of cities, towns and villages across the country. But this episode is a good opportunity to learn a bit more about Sheffield’s cutlery industry, and the companies still manufacturing today. The episode of the programme finishes by the water cascades in front of Sheffield Station where Portillo talks about how much things have changed but declares confidently that ‘the city’s looking good’.

The programme can be viewed here on BBC iPlayer for at least the next 11 months.