All aboard for Great Coastal Railway Journeys season 2!
One of the most well travelled and colourfully clothed men on television, politician-turned-presenter Michael Portillo not only returns to our screens with a new series of BBC Two’s Great Coastal Railway Journeys this week, but he also celebrates a special birthday.
Here in a lovely, laidback interview, Michael, 69 [at the time of our chat], guides us through his latest jaunts around the British Isles and reveals why he has no plans to retire…
Great Coastal Railway Journeys season 2 — release date
Great Coastal Railway Journeys season 2 debuts on BBC2 on Monday 22 May 2023 at 6.30pm.
It’s a 20-part series airing Mondays to Fridays over four weeks. Michael’s first leg kicks off in the Isle of Man and finishes in Solway Firth, taking in Liverpool, Morecambe Bay, and Whitehaven along the way. In the second leg of the whirlwind series Michael travels from Middlesbrough to Grimsby, for his third outing he visits Northern Ireland and Ireland, and in the fourth and final week he explores the Jurassic coast finishing his travels in Brighton. See the guide below for more.
Episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer after transmission.
Is there a trailer for Great Coastal Railway Journeys season 2?
Not yet, but check back for updates.
Great Coastal Railway Journeys — the premise
On his latest adventures around the British Isles Michael Portillo delves into the history of the places he visits, enjoys heritage railway journeys, meets colourful locals, samples both cuisine and culture. And sometimes he pushes himself out of his comfort zone… this often involves dressing up or getting into cold water!
Great Coastal Railway Journeys season 2 — interview with presenter Michael Portillo
Michael, a little birdie tells us you have a special birthday coming up…
Michael celebrates his 70th birthday on Friday, May 26 2023
[Chuckling] “No, I’ve just got a birthday coming up and it has a zero in it — I don’t regard it as a landmark! I’m in a curious position that at the age of 69 I recently started presenting a programme on GB News, and [in 2020] I began hosting a radio programme on Times Radio. I’m also delighted that we’re now in our 15th year of Railway Journeys, it’s something I’d like to continue doing. I still feel as though I’m having all these different experiences so that I can find out what I want to do in life!”
Is filming on Railways Journeys a well-oiled machine now?
“We’ve travelled the world and after 15 years we’ve learned how to do it. We’re very disciplined but maybe because we nearly always have a train to catch! When we first made the programmes we were using Bradshaw's Guide [19th-century cartographer George Bradshaw’s tourist handbook] and talking about Victorian Britain. Then we changed the epoch, one time to the 1930s another to the Interwar period. Now the series is about coastal journeys so while it doesn’t have a historic guidebook we’re very much talking about history and the coast, with the terrific advantage of the sheer beauty of it.”
What can you reveal about your new adventures?
“There are four journeys this time and each of those journeys consists of five episodes, which will be shown Monday through Friday. Our first one begins in the Isle of Man and takes us across to Liverpool, Morecambe Bay and ends at Solway Firth. The second journey begins in Yorkshire taking us down through Scarborough, along the Yorkshire coast and into Lincolnshire. Our third journey takes us around the coast of the island of Ireland from Derry/Londonderry to Rosslare. And in our last journey we bumble along the south coast of England, from Dorset to Brighton.”
Is your comfort zone tested?
“I throw myself into things willy-nilly and you see the results when I attempt folk dancing in the Isle of Man! The producers know that I hate to dance and so, year after year, they plan dancing for me. Not for me are the months of rehearsal given to the likes of Ed Balls and Ann Widdecombe on Strictly!
“I have enormous fun making the programs. One moment I’m talking about the Battle of the Boyne and another I’m doing something absolutely crazy, like dressing up as a Mod or hugging a swan. [See Michael’s guide below for more on this!]
Do you think people find you more approachable as a result?
“Yes, I think they do. I remember filming my first Railway Journey near Swindon railway station where they built carriages and all sorts. While there I stopped a man in the street to talk about the lovely buildings and he said, ‘Oh, yes, all closed down by Margaret Thatcher.’ I just completely froze and thought ‘How do I get away from this fellow?’ Whereas now I would just roar with laughter and engage in the conversation, so I’ve definitely become less stiff and more approachable. No one ever calls me Mr. Portillo, they always say Michael.”
Are you amused when people comment on your trademark, colourful clothing?
“Well, let’s face it, it is part of the brand! I do it entirely deliberately — it’s part of the show as well. I’m slightly surprised that more people don't do it, I certainly enjoy putting together outrageous and colourful combinations. And sometimes there’s a point to it as I might be wearing the colours of the flag of the country I’m in.”
Finally, are you planning a birthday party or have your eye on any railway-related gifts?
“Planning parties is something I like to do and I hold a party every May, but it’s not exactly on my birthday. People send me railway books and so on, but my house is now completely filled. The greatest present will be to not receive any more railway memorabilia, but many thanks to everyone for the gifts over the years!”
Michael’s guide to Great Coastal Railway Journeys season 2
Week 1 — ISLE OF MAN TO SOLWAY FIRTH
“I’ve a great affection for the Isle of Man’s history, heritage railways and coastline. While there I visit Tynwald Parliament, which is older than the UK Parliament. But the highlight for me is in Solway Firth where I try my hand at traditional fishing with a haaf net. It looks like a football goal with a post in the middle, you stand in the tidal waters and hope the fish rush into your net. I can’t say I had much luck, but it was an extraordinary experience.”
Week 2 — MIDDLESBROUGH TO GRIMSBY
“In Scarborough I went to the lovely Rotunda Museum, which contains a map made in 1815 showing the geology of Britain and where the coal and iron reserves were. When you think about it, this was the foundation of Britain's wealth - the coal powered the steam engines and the factories; the iron ore made the steel that built the ships that supplied the world. Discoveries around our history like this I find deeply exciting. There’s a standout moment in Yorkshire where I met a man in his 80s, who’s swum the Humber 70 times. Inevitably it leads to me getting into a wet suit and floundering around the beautiful waters there!”
Week 3 — GIANT’S CAUSEWAY TO ROSSLARE
“There's a lot of history and a fantastic range of subjects here. In Derry we talk about Bloody Sunday, in Belfast we touch on the movie industry in the docklands and visit Stormont to discuss the Good Friday Agreement. In Sandycove in Dublin there’s a marvellous moment at the Martello Tower, used in James Joyce’s Ulysses, where re-enactors play out the opening moments from the 1922 novel. I’m always thrilled to film in Ireland, we get such a warm welcome and the coastline is stunning."
Week 4 — DORSET TO FISHBOURNE
“Here we cover history, geology and all sorts. Dorset’s Jurassic Coast is marvellous, and has a wonderful richness of fossils. Memorably, in a swannery in Swanage a swanherd wraps a swan around me; I've never had such an experience! In Brighton we cover the history of the Mods and the Rockers - when I was a kid they used to descend on the beach and knock the living daylights out of each other, so naturally we commemorate this. I got dressed as a Mod, but thankfully didn’t battle anyone, it was all very peaceful!”
