Watch
  • 5

Building the Impossible

  • 2020 – 2026
  • Returning Series
  • Documentary
  • ~43m / ep
  • 3 seasons
  • 7.0/10

Presenter Rob Bell takes us on a voyage around Britain and Ireland to reveal the hidden secrets that make offshore lighthouses such extraordinary feats of engineering.

Latest: Season 3 · 2022

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  1. E1. Oil Rig

    Oct 28, 2022 · 45m

    Rob discovers the story of the British oil industry through its incredible engineering - from the first oil find to today's innovative rigs.

  2. E2. Hoover Dam

    Nov 11, 2022 · 45m

    From stormy seas to the land-locked Mojave Desert, Rob Bell discovers the amazing story of how the mighty Colorado river was tamed and the Hoover Dam built.

  3. E3. Panama Canal

    Mar 13, 2026 · 45m

    Rob travels the Panama Canal to learn how the seemingly unconquerable isthmus was bent to the will of determined engineers, creating one of seven wonders of the new world.

  4. E4. Beachy Head Lighthouse

    Mar 20, 2026 · 45m

    Rob heads to England's south coast where he explores a trio of lighthouses built to protect vessels. He also experiences gravity-defying Victorian innovation.

  5. E5. Muckle Flugga Lighthouse

    Mar 27, 2026 · 46m

    Rob visits the Impossible Lighthouse at Muckle Flugga in the Shetland Islands.

  6. E6. Boston Light Lighthouse

    Apr 10, 2026 · 45m

    Rob travels to New England, sailing in the slipstream of the pilgrims and landing in Boston Harbor to discover the allegedly cursed beacon, Boston Light. America's first lighthouse is a story of civil war and personal tragedy, incredible innovation, and pioneering technology and Rob discovers the hidden stories of a nation's light-keeping unsung heroes.