Factual

Travel programming remains a firm favourite with UK audiences, particularly when fronted by well-known personalities. The new autumn season underlines this trend, with broadcasters leaning into celebrity-led travelogues that combine exploration, storytelling, and familiar faces.

BBC2 has launched Rob and Rylan’s Passage to India (3 x 60’, produced by Rex, part of Zinc Media, and distributed by BBC Studios), a follow-up to the 2024 BAFTA-winning Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour. The series sees Rob Rinder and Rylan Clark trace the footsteps of Rinder’s favourite novelist, E.M. Forster, on a journey through India, uncovering art, culture, and ancient traditions. All three episodes are available on BBC iPlayer immediately after broadcast, reinforcing the hybrid linear/streaming strategy.

Meanwhile, Channel 5 is bringing back Sir Michael Palin with Michael Palin in Venezuela (3 x 60’, produced by ITN Productions). Known for his pioneering travel documentaries, the former Monty Python star explores a country of striking contrasts—abundant in natural resources and breathtaking landscapes, yet scarred by political instability, violence, and poverty. Palin’s journey begins in Caracas, spanning everything from dangerous slums to the luxury of the Humboldt Hotel.

Also on Channel 5, Yorkshire Great and Small with Dan and Helen (60’, Daisybeck Studios, part of Lionsgate) returns for a second series. Fronted by Dan Walker and Helen Skelton, the show highlights Yorkshire’s natural beauty and rich heritage. The opening episode takes viewers to the North York Moors, combining sweeping scenery with encounters that showcase the warmth and resilience of local communities.

The slate reflects a growing appetite among UK viewers for travel stories that are not only visually compelling but also shaped by the personalities at their centre. From Palin’s authoritative global perspective to the playful chemistry of Rob and Rylan, and the local intimacy of Dan and Helen, broadcasters continue to bet on celebrity-led travelogues as a way to combine escapism with authenticity.