Tonight’s TV – Guy Martin tries to pedal an airship over the English Channel

The latest episode of the Speed With Guy Martin series airs on Channel 4 tonight and follows the mechanic, Isle of Man TT racer and all-round speed freak as he attempts to pedal an airship across the English Channel.

It’s far from the fastest machine Martin has raced in the series, now in its third season, and which launched back in December 2013 with his attempt on the draft-assisted bicycle speed record.

> Guy Martin coverage on road.cc

The craft that he will pilot in tonight’s episode, which screens at 7.30pm, has been described by someone Martin describes as “the mad Frenchman” – and if you’re familiar with Martin’s own brand of whirlwind enthusiasm, you’ll know that’s a huge compliment.

The cranks turn propellers rather than wheels and the episode includes the machine being tested at the vast Cardington Hangars in Bedfordshire.

We’re picturing something that might not have looked out of place in the cartoon Dastardly & Muttley in Their Flying Machines, rather than the sleek Zeppelin road.cc blogger VecchioJo had a ride in at Eurobike earlier this month.

> First ride: VecchioJo ... in a Zeppelin

The show will be available to watch afterwards on the page dedicated to the series on the Channel 4 website, where you can also catch up with some of Martin’s previous challenges.