Matt Baker is channeling the spirit of Christmas when he phones What To Watch from his farm home in the Durham Dales for an exclusive interview about his upcoming festive outing of More4’s Travels with Mum and Dad.
“A robin has just landed on the rail in front of where I'm talking to you from,” smiles the presenter, as he talks about his new two-part seasonal special Matt Baker: Christmas Travels with Mum & Dad. “Now, there’s a sign that everything’s on message with Christmas!”
The first port of call for Matt and his parents Janice and Mike in the twinkly two-parter is to Queen Elizabeth II’s former floating palace, the Royal Yacht Britannia in Leith Harbour, Edinburgh. The second episode follows the close-knit trio as they travel to North Yorkshire to enjoy Robin Hood’s Bay’s festive Victorian Weekend.
Here, Matt, who turns 47 on 23 December, guides us through these two adventures to remember…
Matt Baker: Christmas Travels with Mum & Dad release date
The first episode of Matt Baker: Christmas Travels with Mum & Dad airs on More4 on Monday, December 9, 2024 at 9pm.
The concluding episode airs on Monday, December 16 at the same time. Both episodes will be available to watch on channel4.com.
Matt Baker: Christmas Travels with Mum & Dad - episode guide
Episode 1 - 09 December 2024
From C4 press: “Matt Baker's back, as he takes his mum Janice and dad Mike on two very special Christmas trips. On their first outing, the Bakers head to Edinburgh with a very special regal invite to board the Royal Yacht Britannia and go behind the scenes as this stunning ship prepares for the festive season. Matt and Janice lend a hand in the State Dining Room as they help out with place setting to royal precision, while Mike gets a behind-the-scenes tour of the ship's spotless engine room in the company of one of the 'Royal Yachtsmen'. Matt then helps the maintenance crew re-paint Britannia's gold leaf-striped hull and the family meet the ultimate royal companions - corgis. Stepping ashore, the Bakers head to the hills to help feed one of the city's only herds of Highland cattle and get a glimpse behind the scenes at the family tartan firm who are kilt makers to the King. Back onboard Matt, Mike and Janice host the ultimate Christmas party, as they gather with those they've met along the way to raise a glass or two in Britannia's State Drawing Room.”
Speaking to What To Watch, Matt reveals: “We were actually invited to the Royal Yacht Britannia! They had seen previous Travels series and asked us to come and have a look around. At that time we hadn’t imagined it would be for a Christmas special, but it worked out magically. They had all the decorations up and they even dropped the ropes and let us sit on the sofas!”
He adds: “You can really feel the presence of the late Queen and see why she felt so comfortable [there]. Away from all those eyes she was able to relax. It’s been frozen in time, in fact, all the clocks are stopped at 3.01pm, when she left the ship for the last time when it was decommissioned in 1997. We had very special treatment and viewers will see it from a different perspective.”
Episode 2 - 16 December 2024
From C4 press: “On their second seasonal outing, Matt, Mike and Janice visit North Yorkshire's fairytale coastal village of Robin Hood's Bay as it prepares for its Christmas festival.
“There they join in the enchanting Victorian Christmas festival, sing a seasonal sea shanty with the Fishermen's Choir and meet gemologist Sarah, who collects jet on the seashore to make festive gifts. Matt and Janice discover the ultimate Christmas jumper as they try their hand at knitting a traditional 'gansey' worn by seafarers' families."
C4 press adds: "Mike meets some like-minded souls making presents from discarded wood, while Matt heads out with Whitby's RNLI crew as they train for a busy winter. And to end their magical trip, the Bakers raise their voices in some quayside carol singing as the sun sets over the bay.”
“Robin Hood’s Bay is beautiful,” says Matt during our chat. “I always think the coastline takes on a special character in the Winter when the waves roll in from the North Sea. We didn’t take our caravan to Britannia, but we decked it out in Christmas decorations for this outing!”
Here, Matt tells us more…
Christmas Travels with Mum & Dad — Q&A with Matt Baker
This special two-parter is packed with snowy scenes and Christmas cheer, so we’re assuming it wasn’t filmed during the Summer months!?
“Exactly right, we filmed it last Christmas! Many telly shows want you to make these programmes in September, but we decided if we were going to do a Christmas special, we were going to do a proper one and film it when we’d have the possibility of getting snow - and it happened!”
You’ve already given us some lovely insights into your visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia, but what else did you get up to in Edinburgh?
“All the trips we do have the perspective of the farming community within them, so we went to see the city’s only herd of highland cattle and it was lovely. We also go visit the Kinloch Anderson family, who make tartan for the royal family. My dad was obsessed with the different patterns - there's even an Irn Bru tartan there! Dad and I were gifted ties and Mum was given a sash - they are really special keepsakes.”
Tell us more about your time at Robin Hood’s Bay…
“We love immersing ourselves in the heritage of rural celebrations and traditions so it was wonderful to experience the costumes, lanterns and carol singing. We also learned about fishermen’s gansey jumpers and I even attempted some knitting, but I was all fingers and thumbs - quite literally!
“I also went out with Whitby’s RNLI crew on their absolutely amazing new boat that I was allowed to drive! I’ve huge respect for the brave volunteers risking their lives to save others. And we made my mum a necklace from jet, which is fossilised wood that’s become compressed over time, with a local jeweller in her incredible workshop in Whitby.”
It sounds like you’ve made a lot of magical memories. Are you a big fan of the festive season?
“Yes, Christmas is a big deal here, the decorations are up as soon as possible, and there are a lot of decorations! The only way to describe it is, it’s like the outside is inside because there are evergreen garlands and holly with lights everywhere. Growing up, Christmas was really magical and I’d spend hours looking up at the sky for Father Christmas, anticipating Christmas morning and what was to come.”
Do you have any seasonal family traditions?
“We’ve one where, every year, wherever we go, we get baubles for the tree, so decorating the Christmas tree is a time capsule of memories from all the trips you’ve been on. When I was in Blue Peter I got these little nuts with Christmas images carved onto them in Tanzania.
“We also do a thing we call ‘table presents’ where everyone has a nice little characterful present waiting for them when they sit down. The gift of giving is something I really like. I remember going out when I was little with my hard earned cash and buying presents with the money I'd made from my milk round. That’s the whole point of Christmas, isn’t it? I’ve never lost the excitement of watching someone open a present you’ve bought them.”
Very true! That said, what are the best gifts from Santa you’ve received?
“I’ve had a couple of really good ones. As a young lad, I got a full American football outfit with the helmet, shoulderpads and everything, and I wouldn't take the helmet off to eat me Christmas dinner and I remember putting turkey on a fork through the face guard! Another year I asked Father Christmas for a unicycle and he came up trumps. I used to ride it up and down the gates in our farmyard and ended up putting that on my application video for Blue Peter, so I’ve a lot to thank that unicycle for I can tell you!”
Finally, what does it mean to you to make these programmes with your parents?
“It’s lovely to spend quality time with my folks and it warms my heart to give them these new experiences and memories, especially with this sprinkle of Christmas on top. It’s really sweet and special when people tell me that they’ve done the same things as us after watching the show. You don’t have to go far or travel the world, all you need is your coat and wallet to spend a few hours together. If the cameras weren't there, we’d be doing it anyway.”
