Another rail trip with someone who "used to be interesting"

[JoyintheMorning]

More Cheap TV, New this week end; Sandi Toksvig in sunny South of France.
First we had Michael Portillo who got it right. Then we had a narration by Bill Nighy, he didn't go on the journeys, they filmed it and gave him a script to read.
Now we get Sandi's pension top up.
Are there no new ideas anywhere among the Tristrams in the 'meedja'?

What would you like progs about?

I read a book about a cricket tour in which a member of the touring party, a nameless newspaper columnist, behaved like a total arse.

Some time later I read a book by Giles Coren which referred to that cricket tour and I realised he was said arse.

His programs about Spain in particular are interesting because his father is Spanish (I think his mother is English) and they were lefties/socialists who fled Spain in the Franco era.

He must be such a disappointment to them....

Michael Palin was first, and excellent. Although I agree that Michael Portillo is also very good, and a better TV presenter than a politition. He was instrumental in keeping the Settle Carlisle route open when he was transport minister though.

He’s a ratty little thing, just something massively off and unnerving about him I feel, I don’t get why he’s given any attention at all.

Because his dad was a national treasure and his sister is kick-ass smart?!

I like her too! I love seeing the amazing places she's visiting and how she's so down to earth. I've never thought about doing a cruise but watching her makes me want to go on one!😁

Personally I really enjoyed both Rob and Rylan's trips to Italy and India. But that's because they were focused on the art of those countries. I love art and there's so little on TV about it these days, it was just beautiful to watch.

Too many of these 'celeb goes travelling' programmes and it's getting repetitive and is very formulaic. Of course, it depends if you like the presenter in the first place but it seems very privileged.
When they combine some history or food culture with the general travelogue I like it better than the ones where they have a go at something or drop in on a local for 5 minutes. You can see the bemusement on their faces sometimes, like who the hell is this person?!

Have to agree about overkill, though not the first programme idea that has been done far too much. Reality tv the main example.

I enjoyed many of Michael Portillo's great railway journeys.

I totally agree. When the celebrity makes the programme about them it just spoils it for me.

"I have been invited to make jam/carve a totem pole/build a railway etc". No you haven't. The TV researcher has organised it for you.

I really enjoyed the Martin Clunes Islands of the Atlantic recently. He visited some very interesting places and seemed genuinely interested in where he was, and didn't make it about him.

She was fine to start with, but over the years, she's another one where her programs have become all about her! I also know someone who lives near her and apparently she's not a nice person in real life!

Victoria Wood's sketch about her was so brutal I suspect it was based on truth.

I’ve been to a Jane MCD concert. Really enjoyed it.

I loved that sketch - VW was excellent at writing exactly what she saw.