Our Yorkshire Pub Rescue with Jon Richardson

The comedian joins a campaign to save a historic pub in North Yorkshire. In this first episode, Jon joins a group of village volunteers to demolish an out-of-date toilet block. He discovers DIY skills he didn't know he had, but an up-close encounter with a spider reveals a real-life phobia.

Jon gets stuck into sandblasting the pub's exterior, hoping to reveal the original stonework. Sadly, a hodgepodge of breeze blocks and damp is exposed, which has rotted the windows and lintel. With unscheduled work and rising costs, John the farmer has the bright idea to raise money by auctioning a sheep. He sends Jon to try his hand at rounding one up.

The Plough's renovation hots up, as underfloor heating is laid and old iron light fittings are restored. Committed to sourcing food from nearby suppliers, Jon and hospitality expert Jacquie source ingredients for The Plough's Ploughman from a local family-run baker, and things get spooky at a fundraising Halloween pumpkin parade, as Jon judges the gruesome entries of six-year-olds.

It's demolition day at the pub, and the Plough's volunteers dig deep to clear out and rebuild the cellar in order to prepare it for when it'll be storing drinks again. Jon brings in a specialist to restore the 130-year-old range, and invites the community to join him for a well-earned end-of-year drink.