
For many lifeboat crews, volunteering runs in the family, stretching back generations, while for others working so closely together means crewmates can often become like a second family. At Swanage lifeboat station, two brothers Matt and Gavin, following in their father’s footsteps, race to rescue a pair of novice paddleboarders before they are swept out into the busy shipping lanes. \n\nOn the north east coast, the tight-knit crew at Withernsea scour the North Sea searching for a local fisherman, and friend of the crew, who is missing at sea. Meanwhile on the opposite side of the country in Blackpool, a volunteer’s wedding day is interrupted by an urgent call for help.
Source: BBC 2
Series 11: 1. Man Overboard
The Porthcawl crew respond to a 999 call about a local fisherman who’s fallen overboard. As they discover the casualty’s identity, their search becomes increasingly ...
18-08-2026
BBC 2
Series 10: 4. Yacht On The Rocks
The Newhaven crew make a desperate attempt to convince a solo yachtsman that he needs rescuing; when his anchor line snaps, he is at the mercy of the rolling swells and the stor ...
29-07-2026
BBC 2
Series 10: 3. Windsurfer Caught In The Storm
With Storm Eunice - and its 100 mph winds - battering the south coast, the Portsmouth crew have to decide whether they can even launch to a windsurfer in trouble. Once they&rsqu ...
22-07-2026
BBC 2
Series 10: 2. Race To Rescue A Family
A ten-year-old boy is swept out to sea on a paddleboard in North Berwick. His parents have rushed out to try and save him, but all three of them are now struggling in the water. ...
09-07-2026
BBC 2
Series 6: Episode 3
Every lifeboat volunteer undergoes hundreds of hours of training to get them up to the level of expertise needed to join a crew. But even with the best instruction available, a ...
01-07-2026
BBC 2
Series 7: 6. Ready For Anything
In Eastbourne, a routine day at the station changes in an instant when a boat catches fire just outside the harbour. In Trevone, north Cornwall, 18-year-old lifeguard Alfie race ...
25-06-2026
BBC 2
Series 9: 10. Hidden Dangers
The RNLI respond to over 9,000 shouts each year - and what often gets people into trouble in the first place are the hidden dangers.\n\nIn Porthcawl, on the south-west coast of ...
14-05-2026
BBC 2
Series 9: 9. Pride
Whatever their individual background or experience, the RNLI’s 5,700 volunteers all share the pride of pulling on the famous yellow jacket.\n\nOn the north Somerset coast, ...
08-05-2026
BBC 2
Series 9: 8. Pressure
Whenever their pagers sound, the volunteers of the RNLI immediately find themselves under pressure.\n\nIn Port Isaac, on the north coast of Cornwall, the crew race to the rescue ...
23-04-2026
BBC 2
Series 6 (shortened Versions): Episode 5
Each year the volunteer crews of the RNLI respond to around 9,000 call outs, from paddleboarders swept out to sea to sinking fishing boats, from families caught in rip currents ...
24-03-2026
BBC 2
Series 6 (shortened Versions): Episode 5
Each year the volunteer crews of the RNLI respond to around 9,000 call outs, from paddleboarders swept out to sea to sinking fishing boats, from families caught in rip currents ...
24-03-2026
BBC 2
Series 9: 8. Pressure
Whenever their pagers sound, the volunteers of the RNLI immediately find themselves under pressure.\n\nIn Port Isaac, on the north coast of Cornwall, the crew race to the rescue ...
23-04-2026
BBC 2
Series 4 Cutdowns: Episode 10
When the lives of the volunteers are interrupted by the sound of their pagers, the crews have no idea what they may be facing. All they know is to expect the unexpected. \n\nIn ...
03-04-2023
BBC 2
Series 10: 4. Yacht On The Rocks
The Newhaven crew make a desperate attempt to convince a solo yachtsman that he needs rescuing; when his anchor line snaps, he is at the mercy of the rolling swells and the stor ...
29-07-2026
BBC 2
Series 8: 9. All Hands On Deck
Although the RNLI is made up of over 35,000 individual volunteers, when the call comes in, it’s all hands on deck.\n\nThe North Berwick crew race out to try and save a win ...
03-07-2025
BBC 2
Series 10: 2. Race To Rescue A Family
A ten-year-old boy is swept out to sea on a paddleboard in North Berwick. His parents have rushed out to try and save him, but all three of them are now struggling in the water. ...
09-07-2026
BBC 2
Series 4 (shortened Versions): Episode 3
Every day in the seas around the UK and Ireland, an army of unpaid volunteers put their lives on the line to save those of others. Saving Lives At Sea tells the story of the ord ...
02-03-2022
BBC 2
Series 5 (shortened Versions): Episode 7
Of the almost 9,000 emergencies the RNLI’s lifeboats launch to every year, just seven per cent are to commercial vessels. The vast majority of their shouts are to those us ...
26-11-2025
BBC 2
Series 3: Episode 7
Every day in the seas around the UK and Ireland, an army of unpaid volunteers put their lives on the line to save those of others. This series tells the story of the ordinary me ...
14-12-2022
BBC 2