There’s a bumper crop of travel-themed television shows this week, and not always at prime time or on the main five channels. Gary Barlow’s food tour of Australia continues in Margaret River, ‘Poirot’ is retracing the steps of Agatha Christie, and Race Around The World is almost nearing its end in India with just a couple of weeks remaining. Plus, we know everyone loves a Joanna Lumley travel documentary – with the second episode of her Danube adventure tonight.
(C) Rock Oyster Media
GARY BARLOW’S FOOD AND WINE TOUR: AUSTRALIA
Friday 30 May, iTV, 2pm
Gary goes horse-riding in the wine region of Margaret River, and visits nearby Cullen Wines to sample food and drink produced in tune with the astrological principles of biodynamics. The musician also meets John Bishop for a night of laughter before the pair tour Fremantle Markets and head to Rottnest Island to meet the local quokkas.
CRUISING WITH SUSAN CALMAN
Friday 30 May, Channel 5, 8pm
Susan embarks on a cruise in Australia, beginning in Melbourne. First she hops on one of the city’s iconic trams to take in the sights. Susan then sails west overnight to Portland to view the coastal vistas of the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles, described as the world’s largest war memorial. On Kangaroo Island and at Hanson Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Susan spots her first kangaroo in the wild, and later spies a koala. In Adelaide, she takes a wine-tasting excursion to the McLaren Vale. The final stop is Tasmania, where Susan discovers dark truths of Britain’s colonial past at Port Arthur.
(C) Burning Bright Productions
JOANNA LUMLEY’S DANUBE
Friday 30 May, iTV, 9pm
The second leg of Joanna’s adventure takes her to the landlocked countries of Slovakia and Hungary. She traces Danube tributaries to the top of the dramatic Tatras mountains in Slovakia, explores the river by boat in Budapest, rides a children’s railway, and discovers the city’s Jewish heritage. The actress and presenter also meets Hungary’s cowboys.
SCANDINAVIA WITH SIMON REEVE
Sunday 2 June, BBC2, 9pm
On the last leg of his Scandinavian journey, Simon travels through the pine forests of Sweden to Copenhagen, the historic capital of Denmark. He discovers that all is not quite as rosy as it seems and uncovers surprising and sometimes shocking sides of Sweden and Denmark, two of the happiest, wealthiest and most equal countries on Earth.
Pictured: Guy Martin -MAG
OUR GUY IN VIETNAM
Sunday 2 June, Channel 5, 8pm
Part one of two. On the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, Guy Martin explores the past, present and future of the country. He sees how Vietnam is still dealing with the effects of the controversial conflict, and how it is planning a hi-tech future. Guy charts the history of the war by riding his motorcycle down the famous Ho Chi Minh Trail and visits a Huey helicopter graveyard at an abandoned American combat base.
TRAVELS WITH AGATHA CHRISTIE & SIR DAVID SUCHET
Wednesday 4 June, More 4, 9pm
David tracks Agatha’s 1922 empire tour to New Zealand, where he explores woollen mills and gold mines and is guided by Maori around a geothermal hot springs. He also learns how travel fostered Agatha’s growing independence, and why his beloved Poirot hates the sea.
RACE ACROSS THE WORLD
Wednesday 4 June, BBC1, 9pm
With just two more stages to complete, less than seven hours separates the teams, so the pairs are now battling to make the it to the final in pole position. All they have to do is navigate the Indian state of Maharashtra to reach Panaji, the tiny capital of Goa. But will they opt for the ferry, followed by a route that avoids the city, or travel by land, on the basis the well-connected city of Mumbai will provide more options for public transport?
