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The South, Southern and Southerner: Regional Identity and Locations in Southern Television’s Freewheelers

This article uncovers the little-known history of Southern Television’s boat Southerner, acquired by the company and adapted into a moving camera and outside broadcast unit in the 1960s. In particular, this research explores the many functions the boat served in the production of the teen spy serial Freewheelers. Southerner represents both a singular case study and an example of how outside broadcast and location filming technologies were used with increasing frequency in the production of television drama. The trend from studio-based to location-based production has been discussed at length, though not much attention has been given to the importance of location shooting to regional representation. In the context of early ITV, regionality was part of the remit of the companies who served the regions for the network. Through an analysis of production documents, publicity and critical reception, this article argues that Southerner helped to forge the regional identity of Southern Television. Moreover, Freewheelers solidified the company’s brand by collating images of the region—and the seafaring activities of its inhabitants—as well as becoming a visible part of Southern’s infrastructure.