Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip sees the Mastermind host and BBC newsreader take an eventful trip around one of his favourite countries in Europe.
Let’s face it there’s no shortage of celebrity travelogues these days and many take in the beautiful cities and beaches of Italy. But in this new series journalist Clive Myrie promises to avoid the typical tourist traps and uncover some of the country’s hidden gems.
From an Italian town populated by Scots who play bagpipes in the streets to a subterranean hotel and an unexpected celebrity haunt, Clive gets to grips with the quirky, fascinating and downright delicious elements of Italy.
“It was a case of finding those stories that go to the heart of the country,” says Clive.
“We spend a lot of time in the south, for instance in Puglia which is so beautiful. A lot of Brits might head to the beaches in Sicily, possibly the Amalfi coast and most certainly up to Tuscany but Puglia is one of the poorest parts of Italy but it's so beautiful. We opened up, I hope, for viewers a little bit of that side of the country. You might think you know this place but we’re digging a little bit deeper.”
Here’s everything you need to know about Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip on BBC Two…
Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip release date
Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip is a 15-episode series that will air on BBC2 from Monday May 1 at 6.30pm. Episodes will also be available on BBC iPlayer through spring 2023.
What happens in Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip
Clive journeys from the south of Italy to the north, visiting lesser-known gems and trying his hand at everything from crafting sandals to painting figurines and making mozzarella. “I did a lot and I absolutely loved it,” he says. “It was slightly out of my comfort zone given what I do normally, but it was an opportunity to show the more light-hearted, jokier and maybe funnier side of my personality.”
Interview: Clive Myrie on taking his Italian road trip
What do you love so much about Italy?
Clive Myrie says: "I love the food. Who doesn’t? I love opera. I love the scenery. I love the contrasts that you have from Tuscany in the north and the vineyards down to Puglia in the south and Sicily. I love the contrast of climate sometimes. Fundamentally though it’s about the people. It’s about their friendship and their joy and love of life. It is a hoary old cliché, la dolce vita but there is something to be said about it and I hope that comes across in the series. That love of life that Italians have means they are open to a whole host of influences and people who aren’t a part of their usual milieu. I find them welcoming to strangers and have been to me over a long, long time."
What were your highlights?
Clive says: "I did a hell of a lot. I love opera and for me to go to the Teatro di San Carlo in Naples was unbelievable. To be on that stage and to go behind the scenes and talk to people was one aspect that I loved. I also loved a little town called Matera in the Basilicata region, which is ‘the city of caves’. It’s beautiful and has a fascinating history. I stayed in one of the little cave areas that is now a hotel. It was quite weird actually. You could hear people walking above, but it was so lovely. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Then, I was the navigator in a classic car rally through Prosecco country which was incredible. In a 1950s Maserati - absolutely beautiful. I made pasta and pizza and did a bit of perambulating in a beautiful suit in Florence, the way that Italians do. I tried to experience a lot of things that people are aware of but tried to get under the skin of other places as well. For example, taking a cable car up Mount Vesuvius and seeing how the soil enriches Italian food because it’s so full of nutrients. So I know Italy a little bit but managed to get under the skin a little bit more."
Did you enjoy the traditional Italian wedding?
Clive says: "We just stumbled upon that actually. It’s one of those things that if you watch any Godfather films they’re going to have a massive wedding, aren’t they? The Italian wedding is big and over the top. We were walking back from filming in Capri and we just stumbled upon it right in the middle of the city. It was brilliant. They were so welcoming and so open to us having the cameras there and filming. It was so spontaneous and natural and they were so hospitable to us and allowed us to be part of their really special day."
Have your cooking skills improved as a result of your travels?
Clive says: "I’m not a very patient guy and if you’re a cook you’ve got to have patience. So I’ve become a little bit more patient in my cooking. Trying to turn the pizza in the oven is such a skill and I take my hat off to those Italians who make it look easy. It really isn’t. My favourite dish, no question, was splayed, deep-fried anchovies. I think I may have had them three nights running. We ate very well. The fresh produce is so, so lovely. Certainly around Mount Etna. They make simple dishes but because the quality of the ingredients is so high they taste otherworldly. My cooking has improved a little but not that much."
What pushed you out of your comfort zone?
Clive says: "I tell you what, trying to be a gondolier, woah that really is a skill. I was with the only female gondolier in Venice and I was trying to manoeuvre this boat but it was really hard. It was way out of my comfort zone. I was convinced I was going to fall in. I didn’t but, my word, the director would have loved that."
Were there any funny moments?
Clive says: "There’s one episode where we’re in Capri and we go to a nightclub. It’s the weirdest thing. It looks like this old pizzeria on the outside but as you go down the stairs you see all these photographs on the wall, Giorgio Armani, Beyonce and Jay-Z, footballers, actors, the world’s great and good. Famous people from all over the world and they end up in what is this Neapolitan nightclub and get up on the tables to dance. There are photographs of J-Lo getting on these tables and grabbing the mike and having a singsong. They’re not singing modern music, they are singing Neapolitan, traditional Italian songs. Of course I had to get up didn’t I? I was terrible, of course but that wasn’t the point. I had so much fun. It’s a Neapolitan knees-up and these A-listers are loving it."
What surprised you about your trip?
Clive says: "There’s a place called Barga which is this settlement that is basically populated by Scottish people. They’re all Scots. They are walking around in kilts. There are fish and chip places. There are shops that sell Quaker Oats and haggis. An Italian guy moved to Scotland at the end of the war and when he moved back he took a whole load of Scots with him. They play bagpipes in the street. It’s absolutely bonkers."
What advice would you give someone thinking of visiting Italy?
Clive says: "Try to go a little bit off the beaten track. Rome is fabulous, Venice is wonderful but try the little places, the little villages. They are everywhere and they are as beautiful as anywhere else in Italy. Look at the big city or the beach you would normally go to and then drive 45 minutes away and you will find somewhere amazing with a lot fewer tourists."
Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip episode guide
Episode 1
Clive takes in Puglia and Basilicata, following James Bond’s tracks to the city of a thousand caves, where he spends the night. He meets a Scottish lawyer who swapped office life for olive farming and, later, takes part in a traditional pizzica band.
Episode 2
In Catania, Sicily Clive meets those who appeared in his favourite movie – The Godfather. He joins geologists working on Mount Etna and heads to Modica to make an ancient recipe chocolate bar. He also learns how to make the perfect spaghetti sauce.
Episode 3
In Palermo, Sicily’s capital, Clive meets families transforming one Euro houses into homes. He follows in the footsteps of his hero, the 19th century African American writer Booker T Washington, and discovers Italy’s best street food.
Episode 4
In Torre Del Greco Clive spends a night on Italy’s Golden Mile. He visits the Bay of Naples to learn why the foothills of an active volcano are the perfect place to farm. He also tries his hand at making Italian marmalade and carving jewellery from coral.
Episode 5
Clive finds himself onstage in the world’s most surprising A-list celebrity nightclub in Capri. He also attends a huge local wedding, makes some ‘Jackie O’ sandals and learns to make mozzarella.
Episode 6
Opera fan Clive goes backstage at the Teatro San Carlo opera house in Naples. He paints a traditional figurine and discovers why Neapolitan pizza is considered the best in the world.
Episode 7
In Lazio Clive stays in a ghost town, fishes on a volcanic lake and joins the scientists trying to save a 2,500-year-old citadel from destruction.
Episode 8
Getting off the beaten track, Clive visits a Rome most tourists will never experience. There he visits little-known neighbourhoods, puts his Caribbean cooking skills to use and learns why cricket is so popular there.
Episode 9
Clive fulfils his boyhood dream of becoming a cowboy – Italian style. He tries out the hot springs of Saturnia and learns how to lasso and cook the perfect steak.
Episode 10
Manchester City fan Clive joins FC Fiorentina for a coaching session and tries his luck in a penalty shoot-out. He also gets a makeover from Florence’s most stylish man.
Episodes 11 to 15
We'll be updating as the series progresses, so please do check back for more.
Is there a trailer for Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip?
Sadly there's no trailer for Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip so you'll have to give the episodes a watch.
More about Clive Myrie
Clive Myrie is a journalist, newsreader and presenter who has covered huge news events, including the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Since 2021 Clive has been the host of Mastermind and Celebrity Mastermind. He also presents BBC Proms and fronted a documentary series on The Crown Jewels on BBC1 and about Jazz on Jazz FM.
