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The Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, welcomed TV actor and award winning comedy performer, Richard Wilson to the Centre last week, when he visited to film for a new BBC television documentary Britain's Best Drives.

Richard is best known for playing the grumpy character of Victor Meldrew in the well-loved comedy series One Foot in the Grave.  Yet Richard was all smiles and not a bit like his alter ego, as he wandered around the museums impressive collection of cars and exhibits.

The Centre holds the world's largest collection of British cars including cars from well known names such as Aston Martin, Jaguar, Austin and Wolseley, to famous racing cars, record breaking cars and rare prototypes. 

The documentary series looks at how much driving in Britain has changed over the past fifty years. Richard will be driving a range of classic 50`s cars along some of the most beautiful and most interesting routes in the country.

The museum was the perfect place for Richard to uncover the story he was piecing together for the episode where he was interested to learn about the social history of motoring over the past 50 years, where museum Curator, Stephen Laing, took part in a special interview with Richard, which will appear on the programme.  

Following a £1.7 million lottery funded development to the museum last May, three new exhibitions have been added to convey the social history behind British motor industry over the last hundred years.  All exhibitions have been designed to be fun and interactive for visitors of all ages.

Richard said: 'This is a wonderful museum and I've had a wonderful day here.  There are several aspects I've enjoyed from my visit.  I was thrilled to see the change in the design concepts over the ages and to be given a fascinating glimpse of social history of the country's motor industry.  I wish I could've spent longer here.  I'll be back!'

Britain's Best Drives is due to be first broadcast on BBC Four this autumn.