Dr Emilie Rutledge, Senior Lecturer in Economics, was one of the academic consultants for the new OU/BBC co-production of series 8 of Inside the Factory, which broadcasts on BBCTwo from 27 December at 21:00.

Presenters Gregg Wallace and Cherry Healey hit factory floors across Britain for a snoop around their supersized production lines, exposing the secrets behind supermarket and household staples.

The ten-part series begins with a seasonal theme – roast dinner staple Yorkshire Pudding.

In the first episode, Gregg visits a huge Yorkshire Pudding factory in Hull to learn how Aunt Bessie’s produce a staggering 500 million puddings each year, while Cherry visits one of the country’s largest wheat storage depots and teams up with food scientist Barbara Bray to learn how to make the perfect gravy accompaniment for a roast dinner.

Subsequent episodes explore the production of Jelly Beans, Jeans, Stuffed Pasta, Stout, Bath Bombs, Carpets, Chocolate Bars, Sofas and Paint.

Discover more about Emilie’s work and the series via OU Connect, with extensive resources and information on related topics, including the history of the factory and how it has evolved over time.