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.”
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.
