BBC names date for first episode of sand sculpture competition on Fife beach
A new competition set on one of Fife’s top beaches launches on the BBC this month.
Race Against the Tide features seven teams battling to build spectacular sand sculptures before the tide washes them away.
The six-part series, which will be broadcast on BBC Scotland, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in August, takes place on the West Sands, St Andrews.
The first episode will be shown on Monday, August 17.
Hosted by Scottish comedian Iain Stirling, it features teams each made up of a professional sand sculptor and a complete newbie to the craft, all battling against the clock.
With just six hours before the tide rolls in, the teams must transform tonnes of sand into spectacular themed creations while battling the clock, the weather and each other.
And with the weight of the sand and the ever-approaching tide, there's always the risk that both nerves and sculptures could collapse under the pressure!
While beach-ready Iain keeps the contestants entertained with plenty of sand puns along the way, he also has the important job of keeping an eye on the ever-ticking clock.
As the tide creeps closer, he waves the yellow flag to signal the halfway point before raising the red flag when just ten minutes remain, leaving teams in a race to finish their creations before the sea claims them!
At the end of every challenge, one team earns the title of ‘Sand Champions’, while another pair must leave the beach. After six epic builds, only one team will be crowned the first-ever Race Against the Tide champions.
Iain said: "I'm shore audiences are going to love Race Against the Tide! It's got everything you could want from a summer show – stunning Scottish scenery, incredible creativity, and, of course, more sand puns than anyone asked for. I can't wait for everyone to see what these teams create.”