Mackenzie Crook shares what inspired him to write his hit series Detectorists - a funny and touching series about a group of metal detectorists (not detectors) in the fictional town of Danebury in Essex. Mackenzie describes how he intended his show to be a snapshot of everyday English life, the normalcy of male friendships and a celebration of Britain’s hobbyists. Mackenzie talks about how important the casting of the characters was in bringing his creation to life and how some unexpected advice from Ricky Gervais opened up a new directing career for him. Ten years on from the show’s first transmission, Mackenzie is ultimately delighted that his ‘gentle’ series is still finding new audiences and, most importantly, making people laugh.