Painting The Sky

Originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2005

Lighting up the sky with stars and streamers are the competing fireworks teams at the annual Pyromusical Firework Championships. Mat Lawrence and Mac McNally are the best of friends except on this one night at Stanford Hall in Leicestershire when their respective firework installations send thousands of pounds up in smoke in their 15 minute displays to music. The public watches and votes via mobile phones for this year’s champion.

Rob Brydon tells their story from the visit to China to choose the latest inventions, to six months later, when in pouring rain wires are laid and fuses primed. Who will win? Will the fireworks even go off?!

Produced by Richard Bannerman & Ladbroke Productions (Radio) Ltd for BBC Radio 4

N.B. Some audio has been edited from the original broadcast version due to copyright restrictions