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Time Team Digs Up Success on YouTube
3 Jan
Summary
- Time Team began with archaeologists digging in a Somerset field.
- The show now thrives on YouTube with 350,000 subscribers.
- Supporters fund new digs, including one in Orkney.
Thirty-two years ago, a small group of archaeologists filmed a modest program about a field in Athelney, Somerset, for Channel 4. This humble beginning launched "Time Team," which aired over 200 episodes before its cancellation in 2013. In 2021, the show was revived on YouTube due to fan demand, quickly amassing 350,000 subscribers and attracting up to 2 million viewers per film.
Financial support from 16,000 monthly Patreon subscribers is now funding significant new archaeological projects. This includes an upcoming month-long dig at the Neolithic world heritage site Ness of Brodgar in Orkney. Even original presenter Tony Robinson has returned, noting the program's renaissance feels like a forgotten bulb flourishing years later.
Time Team's current success on YouTube offers unprecedented flexibility, allowing for extended excavations and creative freedom. The team is planning further expansion, potentially including community digs and a children's strand, demonstrating its enduring appeal lies in revealing the "wonders underneath our feet."




