A NEW television programme will shed light on work at a Newport undertakers when it starts on Tuesday.

A Very Welsh Undertaking features family business Tovey Brothers, on Cardiff Road, which is now run by James Tovey. His great-great-great grandfather set up the business in 1860.

He said: “My great-great-great grandfather was working alongside an existing funeral director in Newport, who became ill and his wife asked my great-great-great grandfather to help out. And eventually he took over the business and it’s amazing that something accidental like that has forged the lives of so many of us since.”

The 44-year-old started work at Tovey Brothers after he attended university and worked as an accountant.

On why he started work there, he told the Argus: “It was very much my own choice. I helping my father and grandfather when I was a student and I found that I saw that it was a very rewarding experience.

“The work is challenging at times because of its nature but any job is challenging.”

The funeral directors were approached about six months ago to be part of the documentary.

And Mr Tovey said: “The television company were excellent and that was the only reason I agreed to do it. We were lucky we were working with some lovely families and they agreed to be filmed and they found it helpful.”

He said he was keen to highlight some of the less common things the business operates, such as its bereavement service.

A Very Welsh Undertaking, which also features undertakers from Port Talbot and the Gwendraeth Valley, starts on BBC One Wales on Tuesday at 10.35pm.