Everyone's heard of Bedford but not many seem to know where it is or what goes on there?

Mark Steel returns with the 8th series of his award-winning show that travels around the country visiting towns that have nothing in common but their uniqueness. After thoroughly researching each town, Mark writes and performs a bespoke evening of comedy for the local residents.

In this first episode Mark discovers Bedford is a town full of surprises.

It has the highest concentration of Italians in the country, it is the home of the biggest airship in the world and it has a museum dedicated to a cult called The Panacea Society, who believe The Garden of Eden is actually in Bedford.

Written and performed by Mark Steel.

Additional material by Pete Sinclair.

Producer: Carl Cooper

A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in December 2017.