Our Lives

Natalie Ray is a 30-year-old mum of four, married to MMA fighter Stevie 'Braveheart' Ray. Right now he's just one fight away from becoming Scotland's first world champion. But at what cost? This is the all-or-nothing tale of his $1M prize fight, and the aftermath, told through Natalie's eyes.

Mixed martial arts is a full-contact sport that many will know as cage fighting. Kirkcaldy-born Stevie has risen from fighting on the street to competing on MMA's world stage. After career-threatening injuries and a shock retirement in 2020, he's come back, and he's gearing up for the fight of his life. But getting to the top of the game requires sacrifices, with restrictive diets and a punishing training regime.

Newtownards native Rhys competes in different international competitions for both Ireland and Northern Ireland on the pommel horse - one of gymnastics' most challenging disciplines. He has won medals at all the major international competitions, including the Commonwealth Games and the European and World Gymnastic Championships, and he was the first Irish gymnast to qualify for an Olympic final. This documentary follows Rhys as he takes part in 2022's three biggest gymnastics events – the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the European Championships in Munich and the Gymnastics World Championships in Liverpool.

As we track Rhys during the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games, his intense training regime is knocked off course by an 11th-hour shock decision by the gymnastics governing body, banning him from competing for Northern Ireland in the Commonwealth Games. He had previously represented Ireland in an international competition and was deemed ineligible to represent NI. It takes frantic political intervention and intense lobbying to point out that NI athletes are able to represent either Northern Ireland or Ireland. There's a U-turn, but the uncertainty is a major distraction and unnerves Rhys's mental preparations.

Our cameras are with Rhys when he eventually competes in the Commonwealth Games, and we go behind the scenes to witness his family's pride when he pulls off an incredible pommel horse routine. Will it score enough for Rhys to beat his rivals and take home a gold medal? We get an insight into Rhys's relentless training schedule and hear about the personal and physical sacrifices that come with being an elite athlete as his parents Danny and Tracy reflect on how they spotted and nurtured Rhys's talent when he was a young child and how meeting his present coach Luke Carson was a game changer when Rhys reached his mid-teens.

Fresh from the Commonwealth Games, Rhys throws himself straight back into training for the European Championships in Germany in August 2022. We see, at first hand, how he deals with the immense pressure of competition, where all his training comes down to a routine that lasts less than one minute where a split-second lapse of concentration could put him out of the event. As we see at the European Championships, sport is notoriously unpredictable, and Rhys must pick up the pieces after an unexpected and devastating outcome.

With one major competition still to go in 2022, the stakes have never been higher for Rhys as he prepares for his pommel horse routine in the World Championships. Failure at this level of elite sport can jeopardise future funding. Rhys, with the help of coach Luke, must overcome the weakness in his routine to deliver a flawless performance. We meet sports psychologist Jessie Barr, who explains how she helps Rhys work on his mental strength with the aim of minimising the impact of outside factors that might affect his performance. When Rhys arrives in Liverpool for the Gymnastics World Championships in October, he knows this is going to be the most crucial performance of his career to date. After the earlier ups and downs of 2022, he needs to prove his ability on the world stage and conquer whatever is causing him to falter. In a nail-biting final sequence, filmed in a packed Liverpool Arena, we are with Rhys every step of the way as he walks to the pommel horse, ready to compete against the world's best gymnasts and achieve his dream of being a world champion.

The story of keen sailor Natasha Lambert, who has cerebral palsy. Natasha cannot use her arms or legs, so her father invented a system that would enable her to control a boat by breathing in and out of a straw. First, she sailed the Solent and then traversed the English Channel. Each time her challenges got bigger and bigger. Now, Natasha wants to control a 46-ft yacht across the Atlantic. This documentary charts a family determined to enable Natasha to fulfil her dream, illustrating how her ambition has inspired all of them.

It's knitting, but not as we know it. The extraordinary creations of the Swansea Yarnbombers adorn postboxes across the city. This group of women, united by their passion for woolly creations, sneak out under cover of darkness. Their work might appear on a park bench or decorate a tree, but now they face their biggest challenge yet – decorating Mumbles pier.

At 20, Mei from Norfolk has already had a tough life. She spent much of her teens in care, suffering from anxiety, an eating disorder and self-harm. Enter Koda, Mei's trainee assistance dog – a gorgeous golden retriever who loves toys, treats and, most importantly, Mei.

Before she met Koda, Mei was too scared to leave her home. Now they are venturing out. But Koda is prone to falling asleep on the job and has a lot to learn. Mei has signed them up for further assistance dog training.

The challenge is on, and the pair have to pass tough tests in busy Birmingham. Will Koda manage to stop Mei's panic attacks? And when Mei is chosen to represent kids in care, can Koda give her the confidence to get to London to meet Dame Rachel de Souza? Most importantly, will Koda manage to stay awake on the job?

Josh Quigley, a suicide survivor turned record-breaking cyclist, was pushed to the brink by alcohol. However, his life took a remarkable turn when he embarked on a transformative journey, cycling around the world. Now, fueled by a second chance, he pushes himself to the limits in pursuit of a coveted spot in the World Championships.

This is a story of resilience and strength, where the power of never giving up offers a profound reason to live.