QE2 - The Final Voyage

Synopsis

More than 40 years after her launch, Timewatch boards the most iconic ocean liner in the world as she embarks on her final voyage and glides gracefully towards retirement.

The world's longest-serving and best-loved cruise ship has come a long way since her humble beginnings as piles of steel and timber on the River Clyde. Overcoming technical problems, rogue waves and even bomb threats, she has enjoyed an eventful and colourful career that has won the hearts of millions. A proud reminder of the dazzling golden era of ocean liners, she is a time capsule offering a tantalising peek into a distant age of discovery and decadence. Built at the end of the swinging sixties, she defied cultural trends and became a reassuring bastion of Britishness and tradition in an ever-changing world.

In this warm, celebratory film, Timewatch bids a fond farewell to the QE2 and - with exclusive access to the final voyage - looks back over four glittering decades on the high seas.

Credits

Presenter

Michael Praed

Participant

Ben Kingsley

Participant

Jimmy Savile

Participant

Tony Curtis

Participant

Simon Weston

Participant

Jeffrey Archer

Participant

Terry Waite

Participant

Tony Benn

Producer

Michael Wadding

Broadcasts

1. Sat 28 Feb 2009
   20:00
   BBC Two
2. Thu 12 Mar 2009
   02:50
   BBC One