logo
Michael Portillo will ‘celebrate 200 years of railways in Britain' with BBC show

Michael Portillo will ‘celebrate 200 years of railways in Britain' with BBC show

Yahoo05-02-2025

Michael Portillo will celebrate the 200th anniversary of British railways with a special programme on the BBC.
The opening of the Stockton and Darlington Railway on September 27 1825 is credited as being the birth of the modern railway, and north-east England is set to be one place Portillo will travel to for the new programme.
The former Tory government minister turned broadcaster, 71, has presented Great British Railway Journeys since 2010, with the last series in 2024.
His spin-off programme, Great Continental Railway Journeys, last aired in 2020, after beginning in 2012.
Both shows will also be back this year, along with the two-part series: 200 Years Of The Railways.
🚂 Michael Portillo's taking audiences on a journey through time with 200 Years of The Railways, a brand new two-part series
And he's off on some Great Continental Railway Journeys and Great British Railway Journeys too!
Get all the info ➡️ https://t.co/METRz2r7Na pic.twitter.com/sWEpgPglnl
— BBC Press Office (@bbcpress) February 5, 2025
Portillo said: 'I am proud of having made new series of Great Continental Railway Journeys and Great British Railway Journeys.
'As ever, my adventures are brought alive by the wonderful characters whom I encounter along the way. This year we shall also produce a special series to celebrate the 200 years of railways in Britain and the world.
'I thank our viewers warmly for their commitment to these programmes.'
The two one-hour specials will see Portillo travel by train to the North East and North West of England and look at what the railways have achieved and their future.
During the shows he has been accompanied by his trusty series of Bradshaw's Guides, and he uses the programmes to compare railways now with past lines through different areas of the UK and Europe.
He has also presented Great American Railroad Journeys.
Alex McLeod, commissioning editor for BBC Daytime, said: 'The railways have been a rich part of our British heritage since they started, and who better to celebrate this momentous anniversary with but Michael Portillo, whose passion for trains is undisputed and infectious.
'The specials will entertain and educate and there is something for everyone to enjoy.'
For Great Continental Railway Journeys, Portillo will go to Switzerland, Croatia, Bosnia, Norway, Denmark and France, while in Great British Railway Journeys he will go to Epping Forest, the Black Country, the Lake District and the Weald.
Co-executive producer John Comerford, head of Naked West, a Fremantle label, said: 'This year marks a momentous anniversary of the first steam-hauled passenger train.
'We are delighted to be celebrating this extraordinarily significant moment in history, not only with a brand-new commission, 200 Years Of The Railways, but also with the return of Great Continental Railway Journeys and Great British Railway Journeys'
200 Years Of The Railways airs later this year.
Great Continental Railway Journeys and Great British Railway Journeys return to BBC Two from March 10.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Passenger shocked by what she saw on flight out of Istanbul: ‘Guess I'm flying Turkish Hairlines now'
Passenger shocked by what she saw on flight out of Istanbul: ‘Guess I'm flying Turkish Hairlines now'

New York Post

time38 minutes ago

  • New York Post

Passenger shocked by what she saw on flight out of Istanbul: ‘Guess I'm flying Turkish Hairlines now'

A plane passenger has exposed the hilarious reality of flying out of Istanbul, Turkey in a now viral clip. The video, which has amassed over 14 million views, was captioned 'Guess I'm flying Turkish Hairlines now,' and panned to rows of bald men on-board. Advertisement TikToker Anna Malygon has exposed the hilarious reality of flying out of Istanbul, Turkey in a viral clip. TikTok/@maligoshik Proudly donning their prickly scalps scattered with micro red spots and follicle incisions, it was clear the men had undergone hair transplants. The cosmetic treatment, often obtained by men experiencing baldness, has seen a dramatic a 240% spike in the past decade, according to recent reports. Regarded as the Mecca of cosmetic treatments, Turkey has become a popular destination for hair transplants, representing nearly 60% of the global hair transplant tourism market thanks to its affordable, high-quality procedures. Advertisement @maligoshik Istanbul airport 💀 ♬ Love Grows (Sped up) – Edison Lighthouse The TikToker got a laugh out of the rows of men with obvious fresh hair transplants, flying out of Instanbul. The clip has drawn mixed reactions from viewers with some calling out the post for 'body shaming' men. 'Body shaming is only okay if it concerns men, right?,' said one sarcastic viewer. Advertisement 'This is so mean,' said another. 'Oh, is mocking people for their physical appearance funny again?,' questioned a third. 'So happy for these men. It's a courageous thing to do because of people who judge and shame them,' added a fourth. Others hit back, with some saying it was nothing more than a 'funny observation.' Advertisement 'Oh come on, I used to see this all the time when flying to Istanbul and it's hilarious. Can't we have a laugh about this?' one asked 'I don't sense any shaming here,' said another. Some even came up with their own witty puns. 'Wait, you mean Istanbul Hairport?' one person joked. 'Is that Hair Force One?' said another. The video, which has amassed over 14 million views, was captioned 'Guess I'm flying Turkish Hairlines now.' TikTok/@maligoshik Earlier this year a British man went viral after he suffered a jaw-dropping reaction following a hair transplant. London-born Kanah Flex, a professional choreographer, had been documenting his hair journey on TikTok where he revealed his head had dramatically swollen after the procedure, so much so he even compared himself to the fictional character 'Megamind'. Advertisement The surgery took four hours in total and a headband was put in place to assist with the swelling. 'Oh my god, what's going on,' he said when he first noticed the size of his head. 'God damn, look at my head. I look like Squidward. I look like Megamind. I look like Roger from American Dad. What is going on?'

Kate Middleton Embraces Power Dressing in Blue McQueen Suit for Museum Visit
Kate Middleton Embraces Power Dressing in Blue McQueen Suit for Museum Visit

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Kate Middleton Embraces Power Dressing in Blue McQueen Suit for Museum Visit

Kate Middleton stepped out for a solo public appearance during a visit to the Victoria & Albert museum in London on Tuesday. The Princess of Wales met with Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A, and other distinguished personnel during her tour of the museum. For her daytime outing, Middleton favored one of her go-to designers, wearing a look courtesy of McQueen. The British royal family member styled a crepe jacket in electric blue and cigarette wool trousers in the same shade of blue courtesy of McQueen. More from WWD Prada Group Creates Trust Fund With UNESCO for Sea Beyond Project Queen Letizia of Spain Favors Classic Black and White Colorblocking in Massimo Dutti for Public Engagement in Madrid Katie Holmes Goes for Color Contrast in Prada, Danielle Brooks Shines in Stephane Rolland and More Looks From the 2025 Tony Awards The Princess of Wales coordinated the look with a cotton blend puff sleeve top in white by American designer Ralph Lauren. She also wore a pair of pointed-toe suede pumps in navy by Prada. Middleton added a black belt to her attire as well. As for her jewelry pieces, Middleton wore a pair of blue lapis and moonstone earrings by London-based label Carousel Jewels. She added another piece with her yellow gold necklace courtesy of New York City-based designer Laura Lombardi. McQueen has long been a favorite label of the Princess of Wales. The British royal's April 2011 wedding dress, worn for her nuptials at Westminster Abbey, was designed by former McQueen creative director Sarah Burton. The designer left the fashion house in 2023 for an appointment as the creative director of Givenchy. Middleton's latest look not only highlights one of her preferred designers, but also a style that's grown in popularity among contemporary royal women. The Princess of Wales has often incorporated power dressing and suited looks into her royal wardrobe, styling pieces by Burberry, Roland Mouret and more designers. The power suit for royal women has deep roots, dating to Princess Diana's memorable Catherine Walker suited moment and Hackett waistcoat from 1988. In the decades since, women like Queen Letizia of Spain, Meghan Markle, Queen Mary of Denmark and more have styled power suiting moments, specifically for daytime occasions. View Gallery Launch Gallery: Kate Middleton's Style Through the Years: Burberry Suits, Alexander McQueen Dresses & More Best of WWD Mia Threapleton's Red Carpet Style Through the Years [PHOTOS] Princess Charlene of Monaco's Grand Prix Style Through the Years: Louis Vuitton, Akris and More, Photos Princess Charlene's Monaco Grand Prix Style Evolution at Full Speed: Shades of Blue in Louis Vuitton, Playful Patterning in Akris and More

Frederick Forsyth, British author of the thriller ‘The Day of the Jackal,' dies at 86
Frederick Forsyth, British author of the thriller ‘The Day of the Jackal,' dies at 86

Los Angeles Times

timean hour ago

  • Los Angeles Times

Frederick Forsyth, British author of the thriller ‘The Day of the Jackal,' dies at 86

LONDON — Frederick Forsyth, the British author of 'The Day of the Jackal' and other bestselling thrillers, has died after a brief illness, his literary agent said. He was 86. Jonathan Lloyd, his agent, said Forsyth died at home early Monday surrounded by his family. 'We mourn the passing of one of the world's greatest thriller writers,' Lloyd said. Born in Kent, in southern England, in 1938, Forsyth served as a Royal Air Force pilot before becoming a foreign correspondent. He covered the attempted assassination of French President Charles de Gaulle in 1962, which provided inspiration for 'The Day of the Jackal,' his bestselling political thriller about a professional assassin. Published in 1971, the book propelled him to global fame. It was made into a film in 1973 starring Edward Fox as the Jackal and more recently a Peacock television series starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch. In 2015, Forsyth told the BBC that he had also worked for the British intelligence agency MI6 for many years, starting from when he covered a civil war in Nigeria in the 1960s. Although Forsyth said he did other jobs for the agency, he said he was not paid for his services and 'it was hard to say no' to officials seeking information. 'The zeitgeist was different,' he told the BBC. 'The Cold War was very much on.' He wrote more than 25 books including 'The Afghan,' 'The Kill List,' 'The Dogs of War' and 'The Fist of God' that have sold over 75 million copies, Lloyd said. His publisher, Bill Scott-Kerr, said that 'Revenge of Odessa,' a sequel to the 1974 book 'The Odessa File' that Forsyth worked on with fellow thriller author Tony Kent, will be published in August. 'Still read by millions across the world, Freddie's thrillers define the genre and are still the benchmark to which contemporary writers aspire,' Scott-Kerr said.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store