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Travel documentaries

Joanna lumley in the kingdom of the thunder dragon.

Bhutan, the beautiful land-locked nation in the Eastern Himalayas, has always been steeped in mystery.

In this revealing BBC travel documentary, Absolutely Fabulous star Joanna Lumley retraces the steps her grandparents took in the country 60 years before. Through her eyes, a world that challenges accepted ideas of wealth and happiness is explored.

But what family secrets will Joanna uncover?

The Silk Road

Covering 5,000 miles, passing through 13 countries and crossing some of the most dramatic landscapes on the planet, this is the fascinating story of the lucrative trade route which changed the course of civilization forever.

In this extraordinary documentary series, Dr Sam Willis explores how the fortunes, ideas and history of the West were shaped and exchanged by travelers from the East.

The Travel Show

Join the Travel Show team on a journey of discovery as they explore new destinations around the globe and uncover hidden sides to some of the world’s favourite vacation hotspots. Encounter unique people, places and cultures and experience stunning landscapes, bustling cities and incredible adventures in the planet’s most fascinating locales.

Inside The Ritz Hotel

The Ritz opens its doors, allowing us to see the workings of one of the world’s most luxurious hotels. For over a century, this rarified London icon has been synonymous with opulence and extravagant cuisine. Celebrities love it, royalty graces its hallowed halls and billionaires frequently drop in. How does one of the most traditional hotels in the world stand out from the rest?

Buckingham Palace with Alexander Armstrong

It’s one of the world’s most famous buildings. A British royal residence for over 250 years that is steeped in intrigue, love, tragedy, extravagance and madness. But few ever get to go behind the scenes. Actor and comedian Alexander Armstrong explores the history of the Royal Family and Buckingham Palace in this marvelous documentary, revealing joy and scandal that took place behind closed doors.

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‘Take A Hike’ on BBC2 — all you need to know about the new walking competition narrated by Rhod Gilbert

Take A Hike sees five hiking enthusiasts competing each week to prove their favourite countryside ramble is the best…

Take A Hike is a Come Dine With Me -style daytime series on BBC2 in which keen walkers compete to discover the best rambles the UK. 

Each week in Take A Hike five walking enthusiasts will take it in turns to lead a hike, while the others rate the quality of the views, picnic and entertainment. The first week, battle commences in Devon with five super competitive locals hoping their corner of the county will help them win a £500 voucher for outdoor gear and a coveted golden walking stick.

"If there’s one thing we Brits love it’s a great walk and we all have our favourite," says comedian Rhod Gilbert, who narrates the show. "But this is a competition where five of the keenest hikers go toe-to-toe try to prove that their walk is better than their rivals. Across the week they’ll take it in turns to host the hike, but none of them will find out how they’ve scored until the final walk at the end of the week."

So here’s our guide to BBC2’s Take A Hike, meeting the first batch hikers hoping to take home the inaugural trekking trophy… 

Take A Hike release date

The 15-part series Take A Hike begins on BBC2 on Monday September 13 at 6.30pm. The 30 minute episodes then run subsequently at the same time, during the week, for the following three weeks. Episodes will also become available on streaming service BBCiPlayer.

Take A Hike on BBC2 — meet the hikers!

Here's our guide to Take A Hike 's first week's hikers taking scenic walks around Devon...

Helen on Ilfracobe... * The 63-year-old taxi driver kicks off the competition with a 5km walk along the coastal path of Ilfracombe, her home town. The ramble begins at the so-called Madonna’s Bra, the nickname for the local theatre, and ends with a kayaking experience at nearby Hele Bay. "Ilfracombe is my town and I love it," says Helen. "They’ll see beaches, rocks, history…the only thing that will go against me is if we get a foggy day, so I’ll just have to charm them with my personality!"

Julian on Lynmouth and Exmoor... * Nature loving Julian started walking as part of his recovery from a brain tumour and is hoping to beat his fellow rivals to the prize with an 8km hike on Exmoor’s wild side, starting in Lynmouth. Along the way he treats his fellow walkers to some tree hugging, laughter meditation and a vegetarian pasta pesto picnic. "I think my walk will be the winner because the landscape is utterly beautiful and I’ll be a top guide," says Julian, a 29-year-old teaching assistant from Barnstaple. "I want people to have an experience of being in this wild space and it’s hopefully going to involve some giggles."

Rosie on the Teign river... * Rosie, 29, guides the group 8km along the stunning River Teign estuary for her South Devon walk, which begins driving tractors and feeding lambs on her family’s smallholding. She also hopes to wow the competition with a beachside picnic lunch of her grandmother’s potato hash and a thrilling falconry finale. "My walk has amazing views and it’s all through farmland," says single mum Rosie. "Everyone’s lying when they say they don’t mind if they win because why would you not want to win? I’m very competitive and I think my walk will take a lot of beating."

Chaz on Dartmoor... * Chaz, 48, is a local councillor and loves escaping from the pressures of life by hiking across Dartmoor’s wild moorland. But Dartmoor is famous for unpredictable weather and his 7km ramble, which takes in the famous Bellever Tor, is hampered by snow. So can his lunch of chickpea curry and a spot of Morris dancing save the day? "The food, the sights, the sounds and the scenery – that makes a good recipe for a walk. And the beauty of Dartmoor is its history, it’s a barren landscape," says Chaz, who lives in Plymouth. "Being a competitive person, I’d love to win this."

Colin on Dartmouth... * Colin, a B&B owner from Paignton, is the last to show off his favourite ramble, which starts at Agatha Christie’s holiday home in Greenway, before meandering down to historic Dartmouth. There are stunning views of the Dart estuary, as well as some traditional welly wanging and a homemade Devonian cream tea. "If I was to describe myself I’d say I was flamboyant, quirky and a little bit eccentric," says Colin, 65. "Walking is a great form of exercise, it stimulates your mind, frees up your soul, and my walk’s got a little bit of everything!"

Is there a Take A Hike trailer?

The BBC haven’t yet released a Take A Hike trailer, but we’ll be sure to post if they do. 

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I'm a huge fan of television so I really have found the perfect job, as I've been writing about TV shows, films and interviewing major television, film and sports stars for over 25 years. I'm currently TV Content Director on What's On TV, TV Times, TV and Satellite Week magazines plus Whattowatch.com. I previously worked on Woman and Woman's Own in the 1990s. Outside of work I swim every morning, support Charlton Athletic football club and get nostalgic about TV shows Cagney & Lacey, I Claudius, Dallas and Tenko. I'm totally on top of everything good coming up too.

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