BBC One’s uplifting documentary series Our Lives returns this week, with brand-new stories of ordinary people from across the nation living in extraordinary ways.

The first episode of series six opens with Born Deaf, Raised Hearing the heart-warming story of Jonny Cotsen from Wales. Jonny was born deaf, but his parents raised him to lip read and speak. They didn’t use sign language and treated him as much as possible as if he could hear. Now as an adult, Jonny has learnt sign language and is finally asking his parents about their life changing decision for him.

The series also showcases the wave-breaking story of Cornish-born international surfing legend Tom Butler as he hunts for Cornwall’s legendary and dangerous “monster wave”. With a team of safety experts, he is on a mission to track it down. But even if he does, there’s still the small task of catching the wave not just on his board, but also on camera, for the world to see…

Other inspiring stories in this 12x30 series include Chloe O’Brien, one of Scotland’s rising darts players trying to break through in the male-dominated sport; Gerallt Wyn Jones, a black man adopted by a white Welsh family as a baby, who now runs his own martial arts Dojo but still struggles with questions about his identity; and Patricia Page, Northern Ireland’s only female rat catcher showcasing her tireless work to rid her country’s homes of pests.

The series will also feature children from Northern Ireland aspiring to become the nation’s next motorcycle stars training at speeds of up to 150-miles-per-hour. In Perthshire, fourth-generation lumberjack Sarah Yeaman and her family will battle the winter elements to complete the dangerous work. 92-year-old Mancunian Grandma Dena Murphy’s vegetable allotment provides young offenders a chance to grow as individuals and find purpose in their lives. And in Who Needs Banksy? the residents of a Welsh industrial town seek to redefine their community through street art.

Lynn and Rebecca Bryson are a mother and daughter duo from Northern Ireland who work together to destigmatise obesity by helping brides find their dream dresses. In Chapletown, Leeds, David Francis and his neighbours are building a first-of its-kind communal living housing development for their community. And Scotland’s premiere stunt riding team train a squad of 22 horses and riders in Jedburgh for the biggest performance season of their lives.

This series of Our Lives will also feature distinctive, new branding and cutting-edge graphics to help showcase the unique stories of each person featured in the programme.

Rhodri Talfan Davies, Director of BBC Nations, says: “Our Lives celebrates the incredible breadth of stories from across the whole of the UK, and the inspiring people that make them a reality. Each story reflects the unique aspects of their community, region and nation and showcases the amazing diversity that is abundant across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”

Series six of Our Lives will return to BBC One on Friday 6 May at 7.30 pm. It will also be available to watch on BBC iPlayer.