Michael Portillo’s Great Railway Journeys

Although most TV these days seems to be either rubbish or bullying or both, the odd decent program is worth watching, like Michael Portillo’s Great Railway Journeys on BBC4.

He may not have been popular as a politician, but since giving up politics and launching into travel programmes, his popularity has soared.

Always polite, nice and enthusiastic, his programmes that follow an ancient book on railway journeys across England (and abroad) make for compulsive viewing:

A little over a year ago, I confessed I couldn’t stand Michael Portillo (Great Continental Railway Journeys) who dressed like an early 1990s gameshow contestant. It pains me to admit this, I got it wrong.

He is a weirdly compelling host. At one point, a woman kisses him on the cheek and he turns to camera and shouts ‘CHOO CHOO!’ at the top of his voice, like the horny wolf from the Tex Avery cartoons.

So fine, I got it wrong. And I hope he never stops making these shows. Stuart Heritage

Susan Boyle’s Equally Good Travel Programmes

Same with the delightful Susan Boyle. If you don’t already know and love her, you will after watching one of her travel shows. A former lawyer on Death Row in the USA (her late father was the Scottish equivalent of Chris Whitty), she gave it all up to make us laugh. And also wrote a wonderful book on kindness.

Be kind to others. But above all, be kind to you. You deserve it. You can be Wonder Woman if you want to. I know I am. Susan Calman