My Life Catch up, Series 10: My Pigeons and Me on CBBC

My Life

Series 10: My Pigeons and Me

A bird’s-eye perspective on the quirky world of pigeon racing through the experiences of two young fanciers during a busy racing and show season.\n\nOne million racing pigeons are bred in the UK each year, and though pigeon racing is often regarded as a sport for the older generation, today’s younger breed of pigeon fanciers are spreading their wings and reaching new heights in this avian feat of endurance. Among them are Keelie from Northern Ireland and Aaryan from Rochdale, who take us into their amazing world of pigeons!\n\nFilmed on location in Northern Ireland and England, this episode follows 15-year-old Keelie and 12-year-old Aaryan as they navigate the highs and lows of the 2019 racing season before preparing to enter their best birds in the world’s biggest pigeon show, taking place in Blackpool in January 2020.\n\nKeelie lives in Magheralin, a small village in Northern Ireland. When she was four years old, she was introduced to the historic sport of pigeon racing by her dad and grandfather, both champion pigeon racers. At the age of ten, she joined her local pigeon club as the youngest and first female member. Today, Keelie keeps almost 200 birds at her grandad’s lofts. The film reveals how this unlikely hobby has strengthened the bond between teenager Keelie, her dad and her 86-year-old grandad, and allows them to spend many hours together as they look after their birds.\n\nAt the lofts, Keelie introduces us to her birds and talks us through preparations for the new season. From April until September, she races her birds every weekend, and she explains what is involved as she hands over her beloved birds to be tagged, weighed and transported in crates to the race’s starting point in Fermoy, County Cork. The film captures the amazing spectacle as 25,000 birds are released from stacked crates – this is called a liberation! Keelie’s birds then have to make the near 200-mile journey to find their way home.\n\nFor Keelie, the hardest moments are when her pigeons don’t survive a race - they can fall victim to a hawk attack, fly into an electric cable or become disorientated by the rain. Waiting for the pigeons to return home is a nerve-racking time!\n\nMeanwhile, in Rochdale, Aaryan’s pigeons have helped him and his dad build a strong father-and-son bond. Pigeon fancying is in his DNA as both his grandfathers were keen pigeon fanciers and Aaryan is determined to keep the family tradition alive.\n\nKeelie and Aaryan’s pigeon journeys culminate in Blackpool in January, when they both compete in the UK’s biggest and most prestigious pigeon show – the Royal Pigeon Racing Association Show of the Year. Each year, thousands of owners and their birds flock to compete in this demanding event, where everyone wants their birds to win a prize.\n\nThe episode follows Keelie and Aaryan as they arrive in Blackpool for the 2020 Pigeon Show, which is held in the famous Winter Gardens venue. It captures the excitement and colour of the event, and as the kids nervously wait for the judges’ verdicts, there is a sense of how much this really means to them. Will they keep their composure as the judges scrutinise their show pigeons? As well as the anticipation of waiting for the results, Keelie has the added excitement of being awarded the coveted UK Young Pigeon Fancier of the Year trophy!

Source: CBBC

Most recent episodes of My Life

My Life

Series 12: Hair At Home

Chelcea’s biggest passion is for hair! In this documentary, she shows us how she does her hair at home, doing her own hair, her mum’s hair, her sister’s hair, ...

17-02-2025

CBBC

All episodes

My Life

Series 12: Headstrong

Lydia's hair started to fall out in small patches at five years old, and she was diagnosed with the autoimmune condition alopecia areata. After years of worrying, attending vari ...

14-02-2025

CBBC

All episodes

My Life

Series 9: 4. Missing Dad

Tala and Flynn have three things in common - they are both ten, love their hamsters and both have a dad in prison. Their fathers were sent to prison when they were very young an ...

13-02-2025

CBBC

All episodes

My Life

Series 12: Mae's Guide To Autism

Fourteen-year-old Mae is fed up with people misunderstanding autism and has created a guide to try and help people understand.\n\nThe guide teaches us that everyone with autism ...

12-02-2025

CBBC

All episodes

My Life

Series 12: Coding Genius

Coding Genius follows 11-year-old Emmanuella, who has a passion for coding. She hit the headlines in the UK after setting up lessons for school kids like her and is determined t ...

10-02-2025

CBBC

All episodes

My Life

Series 12: I'm Leading The Dance

Documentary following 14-year-old cheerleader and dancer Neisha as she works with disabled choreographer Kate Stanforth to devise an artistic dance video with a one-tonne indust ...

10-02-2025

CBBC

All episodes

My Life

Series 11: Picture Perfect

Documentary following 13-year-old Nigerian hyperrealism artist Kareem Waris as he stages his first exhibition in his hometown of Lagos.\n\nThe film introduces Kareem and his fam ...

06-02-2025

CBBC

All episodes

My Life

Series 12: Hedgehog Rescue

Fourteen-year-olds Kyra and Sophie started rescuing hedgehogs in their Stratford-Upon-Avon home when they were just nine years old. They have now saved over 600 hedgehogs, rescu ...

06-02-2025

CBBC

All episodes

My Life

Series 12: Fighting For Fashion

Youth activist Anita takes us on a journey to show the impact fast fashion has on our world. She is determined that fashion can be sustainable. Our ‘buy and throw away&rsq ...

05-02-2025

CBBC

All episodes

My Life

Series 12: My Life: Now I Have A Racehorse

Documentary following 14-year-old Aamilah as she prepares to take on the biggest challenge of her life so far - competing at one of the most prestigious horse races of the year.

04-02-2025

CBBC

All episodes