Giltbrook lad returns to screens in new series of hit BBC fly-on-the-wall show 'Brickies'

The hit BBC Three show depicts the reality of life on building sites, as the team banter, fall out and build friendships, while all the time the clock is ticking and pressure from the ‘gaffer’ to keep on course is never far away.

The docu-series follows the lives and loves of young recruits at Hodgkinson Builders. The firm is Derby-based but keeping the brickies in check is site manager Jack Smith, who lives in Giltbrook.

Speaking to Jack ahead of the release of season two, he admitted part of his job is to babysit some of the newer recruits and steer them on the right course to achieve their potential.

But he is also keen for the show to act as a recruitment front door for young people considering the trade as a future career and says that the building industry is crying out for apprentices to swell the ranks.

The 32-year-old said: “I became an apprentice at 16 and then became a foreman seven years ago.

“I went to school in Ilkeston and had good grades, so they were really trying to talk me out of going into bricklaying and that really frustrates me.

“We have a real shortage of skilled tradespeople and new people entering the profession, not just bricklayers but across the board.

"We need more people in construction. We get a lot of people applying for apprenticeships with us.

“I’d take them all on if I could but we took on a young lad from Mansfield recently and he’s doing really well.”

There are also a number of women on site giving the lads a real run for their money – with two female brickies already on the team – Georgia and Leah – then two more labourers brought in to help them hit their deadline.

“Georgia and her dad are a really good gang of bricklayers,” said Jack.

“She’s really little and dainty, but then you’ll see her picking up a 25kg block.”

The first two episodes of the new series will be aired tonight (Monday, March 20), with the rest of the series to be shown every Monday evening at 9pm on BBC Three.

The entire series is also now available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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