Michael Portillo

Michael Portillo is in Japan for a breathtaking railway journey through the country that launched the magnificent Shinkansen bullet train.

Join Michael on a journey of discovery deep into his secret Spain off the tourist trail.

Great Korean Railway Journeys sees Michael travel the length of South Korea, beginning in the Demilitarised Zone through Seoul and beyond on high-speed trains exceeding 200 miles per hour. From a peninsula defined by division and war to a capital transformed by rapid development, he examines South Korea's emergence as a global force in technology and culture. Visiting ancient royal sites, industrial centres and major ports, and continuing to Busan and Jeju Island, he traces stories of resilience, reinvention and national identity.

Michael travels through Uzbekistan in Great Central Asian Railway Journeys, tracing routes that echo the ancient Silk Road. This series sees Michael embarking on an epic railway exploration through the heart of Central Asia. Crossing desert landscapes and historic cities, he explores a region shaped by empire, trade and faith. Through encounters along the line, he examines how modern railways now link places that were once at the crossroads of the world.

Michael offers tips on enjoying a stay in the Swedish capital of Stockholm.

Michael takes us to rich and varied locations in a search for Portugal's heart and soul.

The journey that changed the world - sparking a global transport revolution. Michael Portillo travels through history to celebrate the modern railway's 200th birthday.

Edited versions of Michael Portillo's travelogue series featuring new footage.

Join Michael Portillo as he takes us on a Long Weekend to three of his favourite European cities: Madrid, Prague and Milan.

Join Michael Portillo as he celebrates Andalucía, one of Spain's most interesting and diverse regions. It's an area Michael knows and loves, as well as one where he lives for part of his year. Now, he takes us to six of his favourite spots and reveals what makes them so special.

A train ride along the most attractive coastlines in Europe. From Spain's northern seas to the beautiful Welsh coast and the frozen wonders of Norway, this documentary charts how each coast was shaped and linked by rail and meets some of the characters who live and work along these most scenic lines.

The Pyrenees with Michael Portillo sees Michael embark on an extraordinary voyage of self-discovery, exploring the dramatic mountain range that straddles the border between France and Spain, the Pyrenees. The four-part series is a real adventure for Michael as he walks a stretch of the 270 mile trail through the Pyrenees, from the Bay of Biscay on the Atlantic coast in the West to the shores of the Mediterranean in the East.

Michael Portillo, a British journalist, broadcaster and former politician, begins a south-west coastal pilgrimage, travelling through Devon and Cornwall.

Michael Portillo is in south east Asia, armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's Handbook. It leads him on a spectacular 2,500-mile railway adventure across six countries. Michael explores towering megacities and magnificent mosques, visits jewelled temples and golden Buddhas and rides some of the world's most exhilarating and notorious railways.

Michael Portillo tells the story of how a small island on the edge of Europe built the biggest empire the world has ever seen.

Hawks & Doves: The Crown and Ireland's War of Independence revolves around a theme of political expedience, and in particular the wish of British politicians to get into, or to stay, in power. This is a documentary series of two films about the manoeuvrings and shifting alliances among the various factions within the Houses of Parliament and Dublin Castle during the War of Independence. As the hawks and the doves soar over an Ireland torn apart by war, Michael Portillo, a former British Defence Secretary, looks at how his predecessors at Westminster reacted when faced with revolutionary intransigence at home.

Armed with his 1913 Bradshaw's Handbook to the Chief Cities of the World, Michael embarks on six new railway journeys across spectacular Australia.

Join Michael Portillo as he embarks on a thrilling journey through Alaska, following the routes of the historic railroads. Using an 1899 guidebook, he discovers the state's stunning natural beauty, rich history, and unique culture. Experience the breathtaking landscapes and meet the people who call this remote region home.

Michael Portillo explores Canada, armed with his Appleton's Guidebook.

With a century-old Bradshaw's Handbook Of Indian, Foreign And Colonial Travel tucked under his arm, Michael Portillo will embark on a brand new railway adventure through a land of majestic mountains, scorching desert and plains watered by holy rivers. Published at the height of the British Raj in 1913, Michael's guidebook will steer him towards ornate palaces and golden temples. He will meet Maharajas and Mughals and ride some of the world's most exhilarating trains. Along the way, Michael will discover how imperial railways designed by British engineers inadvertently spread ideas of independence among hundreds of millions of Indians, who today live in the world's largest democracy.

Portillo's Hidden History of Britain sees former UK politician Michael Portillo investigating abandoned buildings around Britain.

Join Michael Portillo as he embarks on a journey through America's railways, using a 19th-century travel guide to explore the country's rich history and culture. From the bustling cities to the vast wilderness, discover the stories and people that shaped America's past and present. Great American Railroad Journeys is a captivating ride through time.

Michael Portillo takes a look through the national archives to discover different stories that have been hidden in previously classified documents.

World War I was a railway war. Michael Portillo finds out how the railways helped to precipitate a mechanised war, shaped how it was fought, conveyed millions to the trenches and bore witness to its end. He takes to historic tracks to rediscover the locomotives and wagons of the war that was supposed to end all war and hears the stories of the gallant men and women who used them in life and in death.

Michael Portillo travels on the great train routes of Europe, as he retraces the journeys featured in George Bradshaw's 1913 Continental Railway Guide.

Michael Portillo journeys around Britain by train following George Bradshaw's guidebook, published in 1840, to discover the railway network's influence on the nation's history.