0:00:02 > 0:00:05'Childhood holidays? Oh, the anticipation seemed endless.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08'The holiday itself? Well, it was over too quickly.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10'So in this series, I'm going to be
0:00:10 > 0:00:14'reliving those wonderful times with some much-loved famous faces.'
0:00:14 > 0:00:16THEY SCREAM
0:00:18 > 0:00:20'Every day, I'll be arranging a few surprises
0:00:20 > 0:00:23'to transport them back in time.'
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Oh, look! It's just as I remember! Ha-ha-ha!
0:00:26 > 0:00:29'We'll relive the fun...'
0:00:29 > 0:00:31THEY LAUGH
0:00:31 > 0:00:32'..the games...'
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Yes! We got them!
0:00:34 > 0:00:37'..and the food of years gone by...'
0:00:37 > 0:00:40- Yummy!- Welcome to 1959!
0:00:40 > 0:00:44- Total happiness!- Yes, perfect.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47'..to find out how those holidays around the UK helped shape
0:00:47 > 0:00:50'the people we know so well today.'
0:00:50 > 0:00:51Bruce Forsyth?
0:00:51 > 0:00:54Yes, marvellous, Len, you're still my favourite!
0:00:54 > 0:00:57'So, buckle up for Holiday of My Lifetime.'
0:00:57 > 0:01:00I'm quite enjoying being on me holidays with you.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06'On today's trip down Memory Lane,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09'I'm heading to an historic university city
0:01:09 > 0:01:11'and I'm picking up my mystery holiday-maker
0:01:11 > 0:01:16'in a classic 1988 Mini, just like he used to drive.'
0:01:16 > 0:01:18I'm in this sporty little number
0:01:18 > 0:01:21to meet today's guest, who's also a sporty little number.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25Here he is as a young pup.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30He was born in 1971 into a footballing family.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33So, you could say sport was in his blood.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35But by the looks of things,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38he was more used to batting a ball than kicking a ball.
0:01:40 > 0:01:46Between 2005 and 2012, millions of people joined in for Breakfast
0:01:46 > 0:01:49and to get a taste of the latest news.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52More recently on telly, he's been inspecting food
0:01:52 > 0:01:55and is a bit of a Watchdog.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00On one special evening, in 2009, he made the headlines himself
0:02:00 > 0:02:04when he got victory on Strictly Come Dancing.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09It's the man who can, it's the man who can do the can-can.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12Oh, yes, it's Chris Hollins!
0:02:12 > 0:02:15And I'm going to pick him up in more or less the same car
0:02:15 > 0:02:19that he used to whizz around in when he went on his holidays.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Oh, I can't wait to see his face when I pick him up
0:02:22 > 0:02:26in this little beauty, I'm telling you! Oh, yes!
0:02:30 > 0:02:36Chris was born in an affluent suburb of Bromley in Kent 43 years ago.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40His dad John was a famous FA Cup winning footballer for Chelsea
0:02:40 > 0:02:45and his mum Linda looked after Chris and his younger sister Elizabeth.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49A sports fanatic, he played cricket for Kent Juniors
0:02:49 > 0:02:52and later represented Oxford University.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54He's even played at Lords!
0:02:54 > 0:03:00He joined the BBC in 1999 to present the sport and never looked back.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Oh-ho-ho-ho!
0:03:07 > 0:03:08Len, Len, Len!
0:03:10 > 0:03:12You little beauty!
0:03:12 > 0:03:14- How are you, mate? Nice to see you!- Good to see you!
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Let me get out of here. Oh-ho-ho-ho! Ha-ha!
0:03:17 > 0:03:22- Bit of a tight squeeze, isn't it? - Yes. Oh, Chris! Do you recognise it?
0:03:22 > 0:03:25- I've got little goosies.- Ha-ha-ha!
0:03:25 > 0:03:28It smells the same, as well. Oh, yes!
0:03:28 > 0:03:31- So this is pretty close, eh? - Yeah, frightening, actually.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Because it's got a go-faster stripe, the red one. I had two.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40A red and a silver one. But just look at it. Doesn't it look small!
0:03:40 > 0:03:44It's tiny! It really is tiny. So, Chris, where are we going?
0:03:44 > 0:03:46- We are going to Oxford.- Oxford?- Yeah.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48I know it's not a normal holiday town,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52but I'm going to one of my favourite-ever trips.
0:03:52 > 0:03:58I'm 17, I've got my Mini and we are going to a cricket festival.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Fantastic!
0:04:00 > 0:04:04- And what year is it?- It is 1988.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07It was independence, probably for the very first time.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10- And that's probably why I remember it so clearly.- Freedom.- Freedom!
0:04:10 > 0:04:14- Yeah!- Now, let me tell you this, normally, I would drive,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17but seeing as you're here, this was your car
0:04:17 > 0:04:22and you don't need so much legroom, I'm going to pass the keys to you
0:04:22 > 0:04:25- and I'm going to let you drive. - Oh, you little beauty!
0:04:25 > 0:04:29- And this is your cricketing gear?- Yeah.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32- It was always a bit of a problem. - It's a challenge, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37- It was always a bit of a squeeze. There we go.- Are you sure?
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Come on, come on. Ease it in. And away we go.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45Here we go! Yay!
0:04:50 > 0:04:51In the south-east of England,
0:04:51 > 0:04:5390 minutes' drive from London,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Oxford sits on the banks of the River Thames.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59It is home to 150,000 residents,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02but the population of the city expands during term time,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06thanks to the 30,000 students who come to learn
0:05:06 > 0:05:09at one of the most famous universities in the world.
0:05:10 > 0:05:12Known as the City of Dreaming Spires,
0:05:12 > 0:05:16Oxford has existed for over 1,000 years.
0:05:16 > 0:05:22And its ancient buildings entice nearly 10 million visitors a year.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26Today, I'm taking Chris back to relive those heady days
0:05:26 > 0:05:28when he came here as a 17-year-old.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30- Howzat!- Oh, hello!
0:05:31 > 0:05:35Enjoying his first taste of freedom as a young adult.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37CHRIS COUGHS
0:05:37 > 0:05:38I thought you were a gent.
0:05:38 > 0:05:42And we'll see just how important that week in Oxford really was.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46You didn't take it for granted, you thought, "I'm a lucky little boy."
0:05:52 > 0:05:57Before any holiday truly begins, first you must set out on a journey.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Whether by plane, train or automobile,
0:05:59 > 0:06:03we've all experienced those hours of anticipation,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06just waiting to get to the promised destination
0:06:06 > 0:06:08you've been dreaming of all year.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14For Chris, in 1988, his journey to Oxford took an hour and 45 minutes.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18It was a seminal time, when he set out on the open road
0:06:18 > 0:06:21with his best mate, leaving his mum, dad and sister behind.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Your dad was a professional footballer,
0:06:27 > 0:06:29so you really were a sporty family.
0:06:29 > 0:06:34It was in the genes, it was in the genes. Not dancing, playing sport.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38Dad, um...grew up in a very sporting family himself.
0:06:38 > 0:06:43His dad was a goalkeeper and he was probably manager of Chelsea, by then.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47- So there you are, it's 1988, you're 17...- Yes.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50Where were you heading from to get yourself here?
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Well, my family lived in Kent.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56I was playing cricket for Kent in this festival.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59I would probably make my way to Sevenoaks.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Might pick up my mate, Dave.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05- Who was Dave?- Dave Penfold.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09He's a mate I've known since I was five years of age.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11We went to school together.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Fortunately, he was a good cricketer, as well,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16so from about ten years of age, we travelled all over the country.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19We went all over the world, in the end, playing cricket together.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22It was brilliant. Then, he became my best man.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24And he's still my old mucker.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27- There's you and Dave.- Yeah.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31Two likely lads, 17, driving about in this...
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- I know where you're going with this.- Yes.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36You must have had some times, really.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39You can imagine what it was like down the M40, you're making your way,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41you've got your best mate in the car, cricket kit,
0:07:41 > 0:07:45you know you're away for a week and it's, like, "Ho-ho-ho-ho!
0:07:45 > 0:07:47"What are we going to get up to this week?"
0:07:47 > 0:07:54When I think of you, 17, you and Dave must have been... Your new car!
0:07:54 > 0:07:58It's the first time we can smell independence.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03We can do EXACTLY what we want.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06So, this is it, we are now in the middle of Oxford.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09This was my first taste. Because obviously, 17, you're thinking,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12"Do I want to go to university? What do I want to do?"
0:08:12 > 0:08:15- Come here and you say, "I want to go to university!"- Yeah, yeah.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17- And here it is.- Course you do.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20- I mean, look at this beautiful building!- Beautiful.
0:08:20 > 0:08:26Chris' experience in 1988 inspired him to return to Oxford University
0:08:26 > 0:08:29to study for a diploma in social studies.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33But today's trip is all about those heady teenage days
0:08:33 > 0:08:36on his first holiday away from his parents.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41Back in 1988, Britain was a very different place.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44Edwina Currie was the Junior Minister For Health.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46And when she said that most British eggs
0:08:46 > 0:08:49had been affected by salmonella,
0:08:49 > 0:08:52sales dropped by 60%.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Edwina was left with egg on her face and she had to resign from her post.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59The nation enjoyed a good laugh.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01And all for a good cause,
0:09:01 > 0:09:06when Rowan Atkinson helped launch the first-ever Comic Relief.
0:09:06 > 0:09:083.5 million red noses were sold
0:09:08 > 0:09:11and £15 million was raised for charity.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14And the world of pop was dominated
0:09:14 > 0:09:17by producers Stock, Aitken and Waterman.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20Neighbours starlet Kylie Minogue walked away from Ramsay Street
0:09:20 > 0:09:23into the music charts, releasing this little ditty.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26# I should be so lucky
0:09:26 > 0:09:28# Lucky, lucky, lucky
0:09:28 > 0:09:32# I should be so lucky in love...#
0:09:32 > 0:09:35It was one of the best-selling songs of '88.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38She should be so lucky, indeed!
0:09:38 > 0:09:41To start Chris's holiday of his lifetime,
0:09:41 > 0:09:45I've brought him back to the setting of his cricketing festival,
0:09:45 > 0:09:48the historic Wadham College.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51It's here that the likes of broadcaster Melvyn Bragg
0:09:51 > 0:09:56and former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams once studied.
0:09:56 > 0:10:01With its 400-year-old buildings, it must have been a world away
0:10:01 > 0:10:07from your average summer holiday when young Chris showed up in 1988.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Chris! Chris, this is a place, ain't it?
0:10:11 > 0:10:13This is Wadham College.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16This is certainly my first taste of Oxford University.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18You must have been so excited.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22- Come on, let's go in and have a look.- Come on.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26And would you believe it, Chris and his team mates even stayed here!
0:10:29 > 0:10:33Part of the magic of any childhood holiday is the excitement
0:10:33 > 0:10:35of staying somewhere different.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39The sights, smells and the thrill of having a new bed to lie in!
0:10:40 > 0:10:44In 1988, Chris came to Oxford as a junior cricketer
0:10:44 > 0:10:46for the county of Kent.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51He stayed in the 17th-Century grandeur of Wadham College,
0:10:51 > 0:10:55much more glorious chateaux than dingy chalet.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58- Here we are.- Look at it.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00You come in there, really noisy and then you come here,
0:11:00 > 0:11:04- (and this place makes you whisper, doesn't it?)- It's like a library.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07You feel as if you could be back in the 17th century.
0:11:07 > 0:11:12Yeah, it is truly a posh place, I've got to say.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15You were a posh family.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17No, Christopher...
0:11:17 > 0:11:19No, I was very fortunate.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22I'm the son of a footballer! So, we're nouveau riche.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25So, we were coming in and going, "Hey, hey!"
0:11:25 > 0:11:27CHRIS CHUCKLES
0:11:27 > 0:11:29The great thing about this particular experience
0:11:29 > 0:11:31is that you knew you were lucky.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33You didn't take it for granted. You thought,
0:11:33 > 0:11:35"I am a lucky little boy here."
0:11:35 > 0:11:39I wonder if we could find the actual room.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Now, have you got a clue? Was it over that way?
0:11:42 > 0:11:46- I've got a feeling it's left. - Shall we try and find it?
0:11:46 > 0:11:49You know what, I would love to do that. I left a sock there!
0:11:54 > 0:11:57In the summer of '88, Wadham's resident students were away
0:11:57 > 0:12:01for their holidays, so Kent County Cricket Club were able
0:12:01 > 0:12:06to put up their junior team in impressive surroundings.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08Ha-ha! Is this it?
0:12:08 > 0:12:12Oh, yeah! I don't if this is exactly the same one, but I tell you what,
0:12:12 > 0:12:17there's a massive difference. If I go over here - only one bed.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20We used to put two of us in here, crammed in,
0:12:20 > 0:12:24and the first thing you had to do was go, "That's my bed!"
0:12:24 > 0:12:27And I used to always like the one on the inside, because,
0:12:27 > 0:12:28less of a draft there!
0:12:28 > 0:12:30- Great rooms, though.- Look at that.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Wash your face, brush your teeth, away you go!
0:12:34 > 0:12:38I'm going to check the chair out. I could do this.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Have a sit down. Relax.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44You see yourself as a student now, don't you?
0:12:44 > 0:12:46You know, the thing is this.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51I never fancied it. I left school and I went to work,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55and you know, my university was the university of life.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Remember, this is one of the best universities in the world.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00- Bear in mind.- That's right.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02The colleges here are fantastic.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05But imagine turning up here as a 17-year-old thinking,
0:13:05 > 0:13:07"This is where we're going to stay."
0:13:07 > 0:13:10So, when you came here in '88, for that one week,
0:13:10 > 0:13:15did you think to yourself, "I'd like to come back here?"
0:13:15 > 0:13:17As a student?
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Yeah, because you look around and you think, "This is me,
0:13:20 > 0:13:24"full of tradition, wonderful things to do in the city."
0:13:24 > 0:13:28You go look at the cricket pitches, all the sports facilities,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31and they're not just for anybody, they're for you. A student!
0:13:31 > 0:13:35- And I thought, I would love to be able to get here.- Sounds terrific.
0:13:35 > 0:13:41My dad played football for Chelsea, Arsenal, England,
0:13:41 > 0:13:45travelled the world playing, and then he'd come and see you at University
0:13:45 > 0:13:48and see the things you're getting up to
0:13:48 > 0:13:51and he'd say, "I'd love to have had a taste of that."
0:13:51 > 0:13:53Despite playing in front of hundreds of thousands,
0:13:53 > 0:13:58playing against Pele... He still would've loved to have done that.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03With its imposing buildings and grand design,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Wadham College had a massive impact on 17-year-old Chris
0:14:06 > 0:14:09on his first holiday away from home.
0:14:09 > 0:14:14The college was founded in 1610 by Dorothy Wadham.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18Its most famous alumni has to be Sir Christopher Wren,
0:14:18 > 0:14:22the man who designed St Paul's Cathedral in London.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26Local historian Oliver Cox knows all about the history
0:14:26 > 0:14:28of this venerable institution.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30The University of Oxford is the oldest
0:14:30 > 0:14:34educational institution in the English-speaking world.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37As a consequence, it goes back
0:14:37 > 0:14:40to the early 12th, some say, 11th century.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43The buildings at Wadham College are a fantastic example
0:14:43 > 0:14:46of the collegiate architecture of this city.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49You have the dining hall, which we're standing in now,
0:14:49 > 0:14:53which is where all of the students, all of the faculty
0:14:53 > 0:14:55would have meals, communally.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58You have the chapel, which provides religious nourishment,
0:14:58 > 0:15:00and you will also have a library.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04And then, around these three main parts of a college,
0:15:04 > 0:15:07you will have accommodation for students and for the tutors.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11So, we have a central quadrangle around which the variables
0:15:11 > 0:15:14of library, chapel and hall are clustered,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17and the other advantage of the quadrangle is you can see everything
0:15:17 > 0:15:20- you can see who goes in and who goes out.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23You can keep tabs on your students very easily.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27Chris and his team-mates' food and board was paid for
0:15:27 > 0:15:30by the cricket club, costing £30 a night.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32And he got to eat like a king,
0:15:32 > 0:15:36here in the magnificent dining hall at Wadham.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38This is not a bad canteen, is it?
0:15:38 > 0:15:39I tell you what...
0:15:39 > 0:15:40CHRIS LAUGHS
0:15:40 > 0:15:44..this is fantastic, it really is.
0:15:44 > 0:15:48- Can you imagine coming here for the first time?- You're 17.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51All your mates are sitting around... oh!
0:15:51 > 0:15:53I've got goose bumps even now,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57because you just think... This is not just a canteen, just a dining room,
0:15:57 > 0:16:02this is this incredible room, and on top of that,
0:16:02 > 0:16:05you've got your best mates there, you're going to play cricket
0:16:05 > 0:16:08and you got loads of stories to tell and we have a week of it.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18No holiday experience is complete without sampling the local food.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22No matter how far from home, everything tastes better
0:16:22 > 0:16:25when somebody else cooks it up for you.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29Whether you're crashing out on a campsite or surrounded by splendour,
0:16:29 > 0:16:34the best start to your day is a hearty, full English breakfast.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37In 1988 Chris and his team mates would fill up
0:16:37 > 0:16:40in order to see them through a long day in the field.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42What have you got, coffee or tea?
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Normally, tea, but I feel as though I need bucking up a bit,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47so I've gone for the coffee.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49I've gone for tea with my fry-up.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52Oh, don't do it! Look at...
0:16:52 > 0:16:56Oh, it's the full bifter, beautifully presented.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01Beautiful. Bacon, perfect. I didn't always make breakfast.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05As in, I might have had an extra ten minutes in bed.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10But I remember when we did come down, my goodness, it was worth it.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15I've got to know, how did you get from being a player of sport
0:17:15 > 0:17:17to a presenter of sport?
0:17:17 > 0:17:23I got to about 22, 23, I played a bit of first-class cricket at University,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26but you know when you sense that you're not quite good enough,
0:17:26 > 0:17:28or in the right place, right time,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31so I was fortunate to have played against the likes of Mike Gatting,
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Brian Lara, David Gower.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36The top... The best in the world.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38You watched them play and you'd think,
0:17:38 > 0:17:40"They're actually playing a different game to me."
0:17:40 > 0:17:43And I suddenly thought, "That's not going to happen."
0:17:43 > 0:17:49- And I went for an interview at an accountancy company.- Right!
0:17:49 > 0:17:53Final interview, and I thought, "This is good", my mum was so pleased.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56At the same day, I wrote off to a television company
0:17:56 > 0:17:59saying, "Can I come and watch how you make television?"
0:17:59 > 0:18:02And they said, "Yeah, come along." And I took that job.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05And my mum, some 20 years later,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09is still very unhappy with that decision!
0:18:13 > 0:18:17From its days as a medieval military town, Oxford has grown
0:18:17 > 0:18:21into a bustling modern city, still brimming with reminders
0:18:21 > 0:18:23of bygone glories.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27There's so much to discover here, I've picked ten must-sees.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Oxford is, of course, home to the oldest university
0:18:32 > 0:18:37in the English-speaking world, dating back to the 11th century.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41The university itself comprises 38 individual colleges,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44the oldest of which is Christchurch.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48This college alone produced 13 future prime ministers,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51the most famous of which was Sir Robert Peel,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54who created the idea of our police force.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58That's why we call 'em bobbies.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Oxford is home to Britain's oldest Botanical Garden.
0:19:01 > 0:19:06Founded in 1681, in order to further the study of flora and fauna,
0:19:06 > 0:19:10it's grown to cover four and a half acres
0:19:10 > 0:19:14and today, features over 8,000 different species.
0:19:14 > 0:19:18The gardens provided inspiration for author Lewis Carroll,
0:19:18 > 0:19:23who taught at Oxford while writing Alice's Adventures In Wonderland.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Carroll was a member of the Oxford literary group
0:19:26 > 0:19:30known as The Inklings, which also included JRR Tolkein,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33author of The Lord Of The Rings.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35During the first half of the 20th century,
0:19:35 > 0:19:39the group would meet in Oxford's Eagle & Child pub
0:19:39 > 0:19:41to discuss unfinished works.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Cricket is Chris's major passion
0:19:48 > 0:19:54and it brought him to Oxford in 1988, as a wide-eyed 17-year-old
0:19:54 > 0:19:58with dreams of representing his country in the whites of England.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01So, I'm taking him back to where it all began -
0:20:01 > 0:20:05here on the very same cricket field of Wadham College.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10- You know what? I even fancy a game myself.- Oh.- Oh, a brand-new cherry.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13- How's that for you? - That's beautiful.
0:20:13 > 0:20:16I'll tell you what's good, when you come in here, suddenly,
0:20:16 > 0:20:19- this got serious. - Yeah.- Cos this was why we were here.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23- I hope you've got a box.- I do have a box. I've got everything else here.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26- What you got? A helmet? - Got a helmet, don't think I need it.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28No, you won't need a helmet.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Were your parents a bit disappointed, your dad, you know,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35that you didn't go more into soccer and cricket became your first love?
0:20:35 > 0:20:37You know what?
0:20:37 > 0:20:42It's probably the opposite, cos Dad always wanted for me
0:20:42 > 0:20:45to have stuff that he never had so, for example, a good education
0:20:45 > 0:20:49and he wanted you to have the opportunities that he never had
0:20:49 > 0:20:52so, suddenly, I could play cricket properly
0:20:52 > 0:20:54and he loved it just as much as football,
0:20:54 > 0:20:58cos he was learning about the game and, when he had the time, he used to
0:20:58 > 0:21:03always come and watch, always see me get nought or three, but he loved it.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08So, I played Second XI for Kent so county second XI and I played
0:21:08 > 0:21:12first-class cricket when I eventually got to Oxford University.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15I was there about '94, so I played at Worcester, I played at the Oval
0:21:15 > 0:21:17and, of course,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20I played in the Varsity Match at Lord's, which was just fantastic.
0:21:20 > 0:21:25And in the Varsity Match at Lord's, you scored over 100.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26I must admit, I did, yes.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28I always feel embarrassed talking about it
0:21:28 > 0:21:31but I made 131 in the Varsity Match.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35- At Lord's?- At Lord's. - The home of cricket.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38I'll tell you what, if you never did anything for the rest
0:21:38 > 0:21:42- of your life, you've got to say that...- Exactly.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47And do you know what? And I remember, more than anything else, my grandad.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52He came to see me play at Lord's and I made 100
0:21:52 > 0:21:55and when I came off the pitch, he was in tears.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58And I will never, ever forget that, ever.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Right, come on.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Go on, get yourself out there. Warm up!
0:22:03 > 0:22:07He doesn't know it, but we've got some of his old cricketing chums
0:22:07 > 0:22:10just hiding round the corner.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15When we get out there, I'm going to call them in. Oh!
0:22:17 > 0:22:21- So, are you ready? - As ready as I ever will be.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25To be honest, you know, it's going to be a bit awkward fielding
0:22:25 > 0:22:28- and this, that and the other with the two of us.- Yeah.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32I wonder if we could rustle up a few people to join us?
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Have you got anyone?
0:22:35 > 0:22:36LEN WHISTLES
0:22:38 > 0:22:40CHRIS LAUGHS
0:22:40 > 0:22:42You are joking me!
0:22:42 > 0:22:45You've still got your kit, as well! Look at you boys.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- Now, these are proper cricketers, Len. Butters!- Good to see you.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52How are you? Oisty, how are you? And Mr Myers, how are you?
0:22:52 > 0:22:55I have to say, boys, it's unbelievable.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57THEY CHUCKLE I can't believe that.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59It is unbelievable.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Actually, not only to see you, but to see you in whites, as well.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04It's the original jumpers, as well.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07Well, you all went on a tour then, to New Zealand and Singapore?
0:23:07 > 0:23:09We did six weeks, when we were 17.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13- Oh, you've had a bloomin' time of it.- I've had a great time.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17'In 1988, Chris hit a half-century on this very wicket,
0:23:17 > 0:23:22'but I'm determined to make sure that feat isn't repeated today.'
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Ed's going to bowl. Come on, get him out.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27MUSIC: "Soul Limbo" by Booker T and the MGs
0:23:27 > 0:23:32- Ed, Ed, Ed. No.- Really?- No. You ain't got the speed, the line.
0:23:32 > 0:23:37- Fair enough. I'll go over here. - Get over there.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40- OK, now watch it, sunshine. - Right arm over.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43I'm just warming up a bit, a couple of plies
0:23:43 > 0:23:46and a little bit of balletic movement.
0:23:46 > 0:23:47Careful, Len.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53- Oh!- Good ball.
0:23:55 > 0:24:00- Oh! See? See what I did there, boys? - Oh, no runs, there.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03You know, he never did have good footwork on Strictly,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06if I'm honest, and it's showing up here in his cricket.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08His footwork is atrocious.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Flat-footed, doesn't get to the line of the ball,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14doesn't get his weight forward. You're in trouble now.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16- Right, come on, then. - Might be a beamer.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24You know what I'm going to say?
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Exactly what you said to me on Strictly.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30Your technique is poor, but you should never knock a trier.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34- And, Len, you are a trier. - I am a trier. Thank you.
0:24:34 > 0:24:35LEN LAUGHS
0:24:37 > 0:24:42Chris' cricketing tour and holiday have given him friends for life.
0:24:42 > 0:24:46He shared his 1988 trip to Oxford with his best mate Dave
0:24:46 > 0:24:50and I hear they have had a bit of sporting rivalry that's been
0:24:50 > 0:24:53going on since they were boys.
0:24:53 > 0:24:58- Tell me about you and Dave and the Century Cup.- Oh, God.
0:24:58 > 0:25:03Well, when we were 12, we were at a little junior school
0:25:03 > 0:25:07and they had this Century Cup, ie for someone who made 100 in a match.
0:25:07 > 0:25:13And it hadn't been won since 1948 or something like that, 1949.
0:25:13 > 0:25:17And then, one week, Dave made 109, and I can remember the moment.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20He was like, "Oh, this is brilliant" and the school went mad.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23"This is fantastic, great moment for you, Dave."
0:25:23 > 0:25:26And then, the very next week, I made 113.
0:25:26 > 0:25:32- Mates are going, "Yeah, really pleased for you. Really pleased."- Oh.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34And so, hadn't been won since 1948,
0:25:34 > 0:25:36and then two of us have got to share it.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40And then, I had it first year, then he got it back, then I had
0:25:40 > 0:25:43it for about 15 years, cos I kept forgetting to give it back to him.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45So, who's got the Century Cup now?
0:25:45 > 0:25:47I gave it to him at his wedding
0:25:47 > 0:25:50and then I got married five or six years later and I think he gave it
0:25:50 > 0:25:54back to me, but as you ask me, I think I might have left it there.
0:25:54 > 0:25:55I think he's still got it.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58- The best man better have picked it up.- You better get it back.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00- Yeah, it's about my turn, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06With Oxford's beautiful architecture and ancient attractions,
0:26:06 > 0:26:10there are fascinating things to do at every turn.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14In the city's Holywell Street stands the oldest custom-built
0:26:14 > 0:26:16concert hall in Europe.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20Designed for chamber music, but often used for classic recitals,
0:26:20 > 0:26:25it's staged musical performances for more than 250 years.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Older still is the medieval Oxford Castle.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33First built in the year 1071,
0:26:33 > 0:26:36the mainly-wooden structure was replaced with stone.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39But its military value faded
0:26:39 > 0:26:41and, from the 14th century to the 20th,
0:26:41 > 0:26:43it was mainly used as a prison.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46Today, it's a museum, with visitors able to explore
0:26:46 > 0:26:49the 900-year-old crypt
0:26:49 > 0:26:54or climb St George's Tower, one of the oldest buildings in Oxford.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56A significantly-younger attraction
0:26:56 > 0:26:59can be found ten miles outside the city.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03Inside Furze Brake Woods are over 40 different obstacles
0:27:03 > 0:27:10including swings, rope bridges and a 126m zip line,
0:27:10 > 0:27:14on which visitors reach speeds up to 25mph.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Not for the faint-hearted. And not for me.
0:27:19 > 0:27:21While most 17-year-old boys
0:27:21 > 0:27:24would be looking to head abroad on a lads' holiday,
0:27:24 > 0:27:29Chris came to Oxford to play cricket for five straight days.
0:27:29 > 0:27:30Once the match was over,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33the team would head off, in search of a hot curry
0:27:33 > 0:27:35and a plate of extra chillies.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38They must be mad - I've never had a chilli in my life!
0:27:40 > 0:27:42Ah, lovely. Lovely here.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46- Cheers, good health. - Cheers, good health to you.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49- This all looks good, these have got a bit of chilli in here already.- Yeah.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52But the thing that's frightening me is that.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57This is exactly what Chris would have eaten 26 years ago.
0:27:57 > 0:27:59And while tucking into his favourite curry,
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Chris and his pals would indulge in a variety of games.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06His favourite was called Spoof.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09- Do you know the rules?- I know you've got to have three coins.- Yeah.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13So, what happens is you've got three coins, I've got three coins
0:28:13 > 0:28:16and then I make a decision under the table, I either put three,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18two, one or no coins in my hands
0:28:18 > 0:28:22and then you have to guess the total number of coins in a hand.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24- And whoever loses...- Yeah.
0:28:24 > 0:28:25- ..has to eat that?- Yeah.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29I've been there, I'm ready for it. Go on. Hand in the pocket.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31I'm just hoping I've got enough. Yes, I've got three.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Right, OK, so you make your decision under the table.
0:28:34 > 0:28:39- So, you've made your decision?- Yeah. - You fancy your chances, do you?- Yes.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41I say the total is two.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48I say it's...three.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51There's two here. What have you got?
0:28:54 > 0:28:56Oh, God. Oh.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59Ah! I hate this game!
0:28:59 > 0:29:01THEY LAUGH
0:29:03 > 0:29:04So, does that mean I'm the winner?
0:29:04 > 0:29:08You're the winner and I'm the sorry loser.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10- So, open wide.- Oh, my word!
0:29:14 > 0:29:18CHRIS COUGHS
0:29:18 > 0:29:20I thought you were a gent.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23'I think he's very brave. Or very silly.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26'But I suppose boys will be boys.'
0:29:26 > 0:29:28- Do you mind if I help myself? - No, please.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Get rid of that chilli in my mouth.
0:29:30 > 0:29:31This looks more like pears and custard.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33That'll be really sweet,
0:29:33 > 0:29:36- so there's like coconut-y flavours in that one.- Mm.- You'd like that.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38That one not so much, I don't think, that one's beautiful,
0:29:38 > 0:29:40but it's an acquired taste.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Just so you don't feel alone.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45- You've never tasted a chilli, you've never touched a chilli before?- Never.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49Well, I'm warning you, it's going to be hot.
0:29:49 > 0:29:53Your hair, as immaculate as it will be, will get curly.
0:29:53 > 0:29:54I'm going to try it.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01That's like a runner bean. It's like a hot runner bean.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06- Oh, when you swallow it. Oh, my.- Yeah.- Oh, yeah.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10- Aren't you glad you won Spoof? - Oh, yeah, that is hot.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14- It won't cool down.- No. - Now, it's burning.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19Chris may have liked spicing things up when he was a youngster,
0:30:19 > 0:30:22but I want to know if any of that's changed since then.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24Chris, how do you think you've changed
0:30:24 > 0:30:28since the 17-year-old in 1988 who came here?
0:30:28 > 0:30:32Well, I've looked at the photographs of me at 17
0:30:32 > 0:30:34and I always want to grab that bloke and go,
0:30:34 > 0:30:40"You silly boy" because you have the whole world ahead of you,
0:30:40 > 0:30:43you can do anything you want at 17 years of age,
0:30:43 > 0:30:45but I thought I was going to do it easily.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49I thought I was going to play for England. I'd just have to turn up.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52All I have to do is knock a few fours and stuff.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55And I didn't put the dedication in that I should have done.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57You get nothing for nothing. Life's a challenge.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01- You only get out what you put in. - Yeah. Now, you work hard.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03If someone says, you know, an opportunity,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06I will fire everything that I have at it.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10But if only I could tell that 17-year-old that I see in the photos,
0:31:10 > 0:31:15"Mate, give it a go now, cos you'll never get this opportunity again."
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Oxford made such an impression on 17-year-old Chris
0:31:19 > 0:31:22that he decided to return here to study.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25So, in 1993 he came back to complete
0:31:25 > 0:31:29a diploma in Social Studies at Keeble College.
0:31:29 > 0:31:31Once again, he picked up the cricket bat.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34Now, I want to know what imprint
0:31:34 > 0:31:38he left on the Oxford University record books.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42This...is the pavilion for the university cricket team.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44Look at that, eh?
0:31:44 > 0:31:47We used to play all our first-class games out there and then,
0:31:47 > 0:31:52if you managed to get into the Oxford team for the Varsity Match,
0:31:52 > 0:31:57you got your name up on the board. And there it is - 1994.
0:31:57 > 0:32:03- There you are. C J Hollins. - That's it.- That's incredible.
0:32:03 > 0:32:08That appearance at Lord's brought Chris his proudest sporting moment.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10When he finished representing Oxford,
0:32:10 > 0:32:13he had a fantastic batting average of 51.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17And then, you see, is it 1954? The great Colin Cowdrey up there,
0:32:17 > 0:32:20you know, suddenly you think, "Hey, I'm part of history here."
0:32:20 > 0:32:22- Well, you are.- Yeah.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26You know, you can look up there, 1994, and there you are.
0:32:26 > 0:32:31But you can look round at some of them - 1843.
0:32:31 > 0:32:37You know, this is such a wonderful legacy of cricket and history.
0:32:37 > 0:32:43Oh, I tell you what, I'd give up something to have my name up there.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47C J Hollins, 1994, I salute you.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54There's much more to Oxford than a university.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57Industry and commerce has played a big factor
0:32:57 > 0:33:00in the growth of Oxford, as historian Oliver Cox explains.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05So, we think of Oxford as a medieval academic town, but actually,
0:33:05 > 0:33:08it's the birthplace of the modern British motor industry.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11A young Oxford bicycle mechanic, William Morris,
0:33:11 > 0:33:15strapped an engine to his bike, created motorbikes.
0:33:15 > 0:33:16Add an extra two wheels
0:33:16 > 0:33:20and, by 1914, was producing 100 cars a month.
0:33:20 > 0:33:25So, Morris creates the first mass-market car, the first car
0:33:25 > 0:33:30that really frees up the British to drive round their countryside.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32So, from humble beginnings, William Morris,
0:33:32 > 0:33:33the Oxfordshire bike mechanic,
0:33:33 > 0:33:36went on to become the richest man in England
0:33:36 > 0:33:39and also one of the most generous philanthropists of the 20th century.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43And the city of Oxford is dotted with buildings bearing his name.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47Aside from the Morris Minor, other renowned classic inventions
0:33:47 > 0:33:50have been born here on the banks of the Thames.
0:33:50 > 0:33:51In the mid-19th century,
0:33:51 > 0:33:54local tradesmen fashioned a new design of boat,
0:33:54 > 0:33:58in order to transport cargo along the shallow river.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02These square-cut, flat-bottom boats were known as punts
0:34:02 > 0:34:06and are pushed along using a five-metre-long wooden pole.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09Today, they're mainly used for leisure pursuits.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12And it would be rude for Chris and I
0:34:12 > 0:34:16not to take to the water, in keeping with Oxford traditions.
0:34:16 > 0:34:20- Chris, I fancy one of these for the river.- Go on.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26Yet again, you look the part. How about this?
0:34:26 > 0:34:29- Yeah, I don't think we'd better.- No?- No, no.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32- I've never been a Viking, really.- No.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34We might look as though we know what we're doing.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Well, I know you probably didn't do much punting in '88,
0:34:47 > 0:34:49when you were only here for a week
0:34:49 > 0:34:53but when you were at university, did you get yourself out on the river?
0:34:53 > 0:34:56Yeah, I tell you what, it's a fantastic waste of a day, isn't it?
0:34:56 > 0:34:58I mean, look, here we are,
0:34:58 > 0:35:00- we're going to see the best of Oxford from the boat.- Yeah.
0:35:00 > 0:35:01What a day.
0:35:01 > 0:35:06And now, you're a happily-married man with a lovely newborn baby.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08- I know.- How's that?
0:35:08 > 0:35:10Life is fantastic, actually.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13My wife and I have always wanted to be parents
0:35:13 > 0:35:17and now we have a big, bouncy boy called George. It's great, actually.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20And what did your wife think of you doing Strictly?
0:35:20 > 0:35:23Do you know what? I was a last-minute entry, you probably knew that.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26Someone dropped out and we'd just gone on holiday
0:35:26 > 0:35:27and I had to say to her,
0:35:27 > 0:35:30"Look, you'll never guess, I'm going to do Strictly"
0:35:30 > 0:35:32and she said, "That's brilliant.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35"Your partner better not be a fit, good-looking girl."
0:35:35 > 0:35:36And you got Ola Jordan!
0:35:36 > 0:35:40And then I had to phone her and say, "No, she's not much."
0:35:40 > 0:35:42But, yeah, it was Ola Jordan.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45APPLAUSE
0:35:47 > 0:35:50- Fantastic. - Well, fantastic now.- Yeah.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53- At the time, it was...- Ooh, hello.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56And you know what probably made it worse, in a way,
0:35:56 > 0:35:59was that the judges and other people said,
0:35:59 > 0:36:04- "Oh, Ola and Chris have got such great chemistry."- You, specifically,
0:36:04 > 0:36:06kept saying, "The chemistry works." What did you call us?
0:36:06 > 0:36:10- Two little hobbits?- Two little dancing hobbits.- Yeah, exactly.
0:36:10 > 0:36:13Do you think, being a sportsman,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16do you think that helped you a bit with your dancing?
0:36:16 > 0:36:22Cos I'm always wondering why sportsmen generally do quite well.
0:36:22 > 0:36:23Well, I have a theory,
0:36:23 > 0:36:26it's not necessarily that they have got good feet
0:36:26 > 0:36:29or anything like that, cos I've seen a few rugby players haven't got
0:36:29 > 0:36:33good feet and myself, very clumsy, but what we do, sportsmen
0:36:33 > 0:36:36and women, is that you're used to training hard.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39So, they're used to going in, they're used to someone saying,
0:36:39 > 0:36:42"You're useless, pull your socks up, try harder," so you're used to
0:36:42 > 0:36:47that and you're also used to pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50cos that's what they do every day.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Well, we know Chris can bat, we know he can dance,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56but can he punt? That's what I want to know.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59- I think you've got to go this way a bit.- Oh, what are you?
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Some sort of back-seat driver, Len?
0:37:01 > 0:37:03I've been on a punt before, I know the technique!
0:37:03 > 0:37:08- We're going the wrong way, aren't we?- Len, give me a second.
0:37:08 > 0:37:14- I'm not competitive or anything but I want to do this right.- Sweep, sweep.
0:37:14 > 0:37:18- Yeah, sweeping.- You're about as good at this as you were at the foxtrot.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20Yes.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23- You're not going to mark me after this, are you?- No, don't do that.
0:37:23 > 0:37:28- Don't do it. Sit down, you're rocking the boat.- Wahey!- Wahey!
0:37:28 > 0:37:29I could dance to that.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36Visitors flock to Oxford from all around the globe.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38It's the seventh most popular city
0:37:38 > 0:37:41in the UK for international tourism.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47And the Ashmolean Museum is one of the reasons they keep coming.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50It's the oldest public museum in Britain,
0:37:50 > 0:37:51arguably, in the world.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56Named after the 17th-Century antiquities collector
0:37:56 > 0:37:59Elias Ashmole, it houses the world's largest collection
0:37:59 > 0:38:03of works by the Renaissance painter, Raphael.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05There are some ghostly goings-on in Oxford,
0:38:05 > 0:38:10as restless spirits are said to walk the halls of Brazenose College.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13And legend has it, the library of St John's College
0:38:13 > 0:38:18is haunted by the headless spectre of Archbishop William Laud.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21Specialist tours wander the city every night,
0:38:21 > 0:38:26treating visitors to all the full horror of Oxford's spooky past.
0:38:26 > 0:38:27Far less spooky,
0:38:27 > 0:38:31but equally enjoyable, are the pedicabs or rickshaws,
0:38:31 > 0:38:36which bring Victorian Oxford to life with the help of a vintage map.
0:38:37 > 0:38:42Top of the tree and the jewel in Oxford's crown is Blenheim Palace.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45Designated a World Heritage Site,
0:38:45 > 0:38:51this magnificent baroque building was completed in 1704.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Our great war-time Prime Minister Winston Churchill
0:38:54 > 0:38:56was born here in 1874,
0:38:56 > 0:39:01and the palace houses a permanent exhibition celebrating his life.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06Chris Hollins is one of the most familiar faces
0:39:06 > 0:39:07on British television.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10From his days bringing us the sports news,
0:39:10 > 0:39:12to winning Strictly Come Dancing,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16he's proved himself one of the most lovable faces on the telly.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20But after spending the day hearing all about his japes
0:39:20 > 0:39:25as a 17-year-old cricketer, I want to know more about his family life.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29So, growing up, who was your inspiration? Who inspired you?
0:39:29 > 0:39:33I think my mum and dad were the ones that drive you forward.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35Dad, obviously, did it more by actions, by going out
0:39:35 > 0:39:39and doing what he was doing, but Mum was always there,
0:39:39 > 0:39:43so she would push you. She was the guiding light.
0:39:43 > 0:39:48What was it like going to school and your dad is this famous footballer
0:39:48 > 0:39:51for Chelsea and Arsenal and so on?
0:39:51 > 0:39:55For me, he was Dad who got moaned at for not putting the bins out,
0:39:55 > 0:39:59he was Dad who was moaned at for not picking you up on time
0:39:59 > 0:40:03and he was Dad that you messed around with at home, you know.
0:40:03 > 0:40:05It was great and, every now and again, it would
0:40:05 > 0:40:08hit you that he was famous, so you'd go out for a pizza
0:40:08 > 0:40:11and someone would go, "John, good luck Saturday!" And you'd think,
0:40:11 > 0:40:13"Oh, yeah, you're a footballer, aren't you?"
0:40:13 > 0:40:16And not only that, your uncle was a footballer.
0:40:16 > 0:40:21Uncle Dave was a footballer, not many people know that they were,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24probably, the only brothers to play for different countries.
0:40:24 > 0:40:28Uncle David played for Wales in goal and Newcastle United
0:40:28 > 0:40:31and my dad played for Chelsea, Arsenal and England.
0:40:31 > 0:40:36So, since you've left Strictly, have you ever done a bit of dancing?
0:40:36 > 0:40:40Not really, cos when you've danced with Ola, Blackpool Tower
0:40:40 > 0:40:43and all that, there's only one way and that's down.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45But every now and again, you'll have to tell me which steps,
0:40:45 > 0:40:49in a supermarket when no-one's looking, I do find myself doing...
0:40:49 > 0:40:53- Ooh, a lock step.- And what's that one?- And a chasse.- Yeah.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55And then you go back to doing your shopping.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58But it all comes back. Or if you hear the music in the car...
0:41:00 > 0:41:02Now, don't do that.
0:41:02 > 0:41:03CHRIS LAUGHS
0:41:03 > 0:41:05I'll have to get my paddles out.
0:41:05 > 0:41:10Now, listen, going back to 17, 1988, week in Oxford -
0:41:10 > 0:41:12did that have any influence on your life?
0:41:12 > 0:41:15It definitely did, cos I said to myself,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18"I want a bit of this, I want to go to university,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22"I want to experience this lifestyle", so that pushed me
0:41:22 > 0:41:26forward to do A-Levels and try and get to university,
0:41:26 > 0:41:29but probably, more than anything, I made some great mates.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33- And that's the magic, isn't it? - Yeah.- I love it.- Yeah.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36It's been fabulous to bring Chris back to Oxford,
0:41:36 > 0:41:38the scene of his influential trip
0:41:38 > 0:41:40with Kent Cricket Club's junior team...
0:41:42 > 0:41:44What are we going to get up to this week?
0:41:44 > 0:41:47..witnessing first-hand the sporting aptitude
0:41:47 > 0:41:49he inherited from his father.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53It's been fascinating to see
0:41:53 > 0:41:56just how much this historic English city means to Chris.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00I've got a little thing here. It's a little keepsake for you.
0:42:00 > 0:42:06- It's a little scrapbook of your Holiday Of My Lifetime.- Oh, great.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10A photograph album from the wonderful day here in Oxford,
0:42:10 > 0:42:13a place that holds such fabulous memories for Chris.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17His five days here in 1988 shaped the rest of his life
0:42:17 > 0:42:21and so I've got just one more surprise for him.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24- There's something else.- Right.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26Because I was wounded
0:42:26 > 0:42:33when I heard that Dave has still got the Century Cup.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35This is a replica.
0:42:35 > 0:42:40However, this is the Holiday Of My Lifetime Century Cup.
0:42:40 > 0:42:45- Chris Hollins, Oxford, 2014.- Well, you're meant to do that, aren't you?
0:42:45 > 0:42:48Len, thank you so much, indeed.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52- That is right next to the glitter ball now.- Really?- Yeah.
0:42:52 > 0:42:53It's as big as that?
0:42:53 > 0:42:55It's as big as that, right in the study, glitter ball.
0:42:55 > 0:42:59Thank you very much. Nice to win a cup for a change, isn't it?
0:43:01 > 0:43:04So, farewell, Oxford. With your colleges, curries
0:43:04 > 0:43:08and cricket grounds, you'll always hold such special memories
0:43:08 > 0:43:10for Chris Hollins.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12- Shall we do it again tomorrow? - Yeah, where shall we go?
0:43:12 > 0:43:16- You went to New Zealand?- New Zealand and Singapore, for six weeks.
0:43:16 > 0:43:18- Fancy that?- See you at Heathrow!