Phil Harding's first excavation

Phil Harding has been working with Channel 4’s Time Team since it began in 1992, giving viewers the benefit of his 35 years’ experience in archaeology and at the same time making famous a series of hats.

Phil’s interest in archaeology goes back to 1966 when as a young boy he went on his first dig on the Marlborough Downs in Wiltshire, near where he lives.

He joined Wessex Archaeology when it started in 1979 and when not helping the Time Team works as a field archaeologist for us. He continues to demonstrate his flint-knapping skills occasionally.

On the programme he goes back to Marlborough Downs and talks about his love of Wiltshire.

“This is home,” he said. “It really is. I was fortunate to be born and bred in Wiltshire – it’s my county. I can’t think of a better place to be. You have this vast exposed landscape. There’s not a noise or any disruption about. You come up here and spend the entire day digging and finding archaeological remains – it couldn’t be better. I have been a lucky devil really. “