Hunting hits television screens

With just seven days to go until the one year anniversary of the hunting ban, fox hunting is still leading the Government’s Icons of Britain poll, and the one year milestone is destined not to go unnoticed: the BBC are paying homage to it on two of its major channels.

BBC 1 will be showing ‘The Last Tally–Ho’ on BBC 1 this Sunday, a documentary telling the inside story of a traditional Gloucetershire hunt and the effects the hunting ban has had on it. ‘The Last Tally-Ho’ follows the men and women from The Vale of White Horse over the period of a year, from their last ever legal hunt to the opening meet of the first season to begin under the new law.

The film crew focus on Sidney Bailey, the longest serving huntsman in the country, and a ‘living legend’ in the world of hunting, terrierman Richard Lovett and hunt master Countess Goess-Saurau. Staff and volunteers of the Countryside Alliance also feature in the documentary.

The Hunting Act 2004 took seven years and over 700 hours of parliamentary time to reach the statute book. ‘The Last Tally-Ho’ documents Simon Hart of the Countryside Alliance congratulating hunting folk at the CLA Game Fair for ‘carrying on pretty much as usual … of course, within the law.’

Hunt enthusiasts will also have the chance to watch a debate on the effect of the ban on ‘A People’s Voice.’ The programme, hosted by newsreader Huw Edwards, is to be shown on BBC1 Wales at 10:35 pm on 13 February.

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