Podcasting Purbeck archaeologists Derek Pitman and Lawrence Shaw are in the running to win a national achievement award for their humorous YouTube channel, Career In Ruins.
The Time Team stars who have carried out major digs recently at Wytch Farm and Corfe Castle in Dorset, are shortlisted for a top prize in the Archaeology Achievements Awards 2025, with winners set to be announced at a gala in Belfast on Friday 28th November 2025.
Derek Pitman (right) and Lawrence Shaw (left) at Corfe Castle ready to film another YouTube podcast
Self confessed geekiness
Brought together by a self confessed geekiness for Star Trek, video games and archaeology, their original podcast set out to feature interviews with professionals to offer an insight behind the scenes of how the past is brought into the present.
But after the podcast took off, Derek, of Corfe Castle, and fellow Bournemouth University expert Lawrence Shaw took the decision to set up a YouTube channel as well.
Career In Ruins collected a landmark 1,000 subscribers on November 25th 2025 and has been uploading content including fieldwork at Wytch Farm and a visit to the Purbeck Mining Museum at Norden.
Now the team is planning to release films of a new dig at a mystery site in Purbeck which could reveal some exciting discoveries – but first the friends may get to collect that national award from the Council for British Archaeology.
Derek Pitman and Lawrence Shaw have both appeared as experts on Time Team in recent years
“Open, engaging and accessible”
Derek Pitman said:
“We’re thrilled and a little bit stunned that Career in Ruins has been shortlisted for the Archaeology Achievements Awards 2025, in the Public Dissemination or Presentation category.
“What started as two archaeologists chatting about their work and passions, to encourage people to engage with archaeology, has grown into a podcast that’s connected us with so many brilliant people across the heritage world and beyond.
“We’re incredibly grateful to all our guests, listeners, and supporters who’ve joined us along the way, and to everyone working to make archaeology open, engaging, and accessible. We are proud just to be alongside such inspiring projects.
“We wanted to share our profession, but not just the typical Time Team view of doing geofizz and digging trenches – we wanted to highlight the real breadth of skills that go into constructing the stories of our past.”
Derek Pitman took a trip to the Purbeck Mining Museum for one of his YouTube videos
“We’ve been able to spread our wings”
Derek added:
“Lawrence and I are really lucky in that we get to travel round the country and abroad, working with some diverse and interesting teams, and we wanted to share their stories with as many people as possible.
“Then we decided to develop the podcast into something bigger where we could use other media to share our passion much more widely.
“We brought Career In Ruins to YouTube because we know not everyone listens to podcasts or can put that amount of time aside to listen to chaps rambling on to friends and colleagues, but on YouTube we have been able to spread our wings a little and do some interesting video content.
“It’s a genuine honour to be shortlisted for an Archaeological Achievement award, for sharing our rich human past with the world as well as highlighting the diverse and exciting world of becoming an archaeologist.”
Meg Russell films social media videos in Purbeck, including this one at Dancing Ledge
Many films made in Purbeck
The Archaeological Achievement Awards 2025 celebrate the very best of archaeology across the UK and Ireland, highlighting projects, people, and organisations who are pushing boundaries, inspiring communities, and ensuring that archaeology continues to thrive.
Also shortlisted for the Public Dissemination or Presentation award is Stratmates, a social media video series created by Meg Russell and Jon Milward of Bournemouth University to engage the public and young archaeologists.
Many of their bite-sized films are made in Purbeck, to show the experiences of archaeology students and volunteers at Bournemouth University, and include content from Kimmeridge, Dancing Ledge and Corfe Castle.
Presented in an engaging episode format, Stratmates highlights archaeological finds, addresses challenges within the industry, and sparks conversations about equality and wellbeing in the field.
Its approachable style has made it a standout example of digital outreach and youth engagement with heritage.
Jon Milward and Meg Russell of Bournemouth University are also shortlisted for their video series, Stratmates
“It has been such a joy”
Meg Russell said:
“Being shortlisted is a fantastic achievement for archaeology at Bournemouth University. Jon and I feel so honoured that our educational archaeology videos have been recognised, and we are very excited to represent BU in Belfast!
“Our content is all about the students and community at BU, so being recognised is truly down to our wonderful archaeology students and colleagues.
“Being able to share our archaeological discoveries in the field with our wider social media community has been such a joy.”
Further information
- Listen to the Career in Ruins podcasts
- More about Career In Ruins on its Facebook page
- Stratmates on Instagram
