Jessica Nabongo is the first black woman in history to have visited all 195 countries in the world. On top of that, she travelled to 89 of these countries solo. All by the age of 35. She’s an influencer, photographer and businesswoman, and shares with us what she learnt throughout this epic journey. From Tuvalu and Eritrea to Turkmenistan and Djibouti, Jessica’s travel diaries literally take us all over the world. Destination Recap: Punta Mita, Mexico Uganda Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda...
Nov 09, 2021•1 hr
Today’s guest is a broadcasting legend. Whether it’s the Olympic Games, Paralympics, horse racing, Crufts, Wimbledon or so much more, Clare Balding has risen to national treasure status. She’s also a best-selling author, radio presenter and podcaster, in case you didn’t think she was busy enough! Covering so many major TV events has taken Clare around the world, and then some. Her travel diaries take us from Mauritius to Costa Rica, Italy to Iona. She tells us how she once won her weight in cham...
Nov 02, 2021•51 min
We’re back for Season 6 (how did that happen?!) and what an honour to be joined on our first episode by the Oscar-nominated actor and writer, Stanley Tucci. You’ve seen him in The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, Julie and Julia, Supernova, Fortitude, and The Lovely Bones. He’s directed four movies, and recently won an Emmy for his new food and travel TV series, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy. As a foodie he’s written two delectable cookbooks, and his new memoir, Taste, is just as delici...
Oct 26, 2021•47 min
Today, we’re embarking on a journey to the east of Africa, to a country of spectacular wild and natural landscapes, where the wildlife is abundant, the famous Big 5 roaming free. A country of great plains, mountains, lush forest, and white sand beaches. It has captivated and travellers adventurers the world over. It is of course, Kenya. On today’s episode, we’ll be hearing first from some of my previous podcast guests who have chosen parts of Kenya in their travel diaries, wildlife cameraman Gav...
Oct 12, 2021•48 min
We're going Completely Caribbean here on The Travel Diaries this week. On today's bonus destination special, we’ll be heading on a sun-soaked tour of the Caribbean islands, in partnership with the British Airways American Express Credit Card. Unsurprisingly, it’s one of the most popular destinations to be picked each week on the pod, and in today’s episode lots of my lovely guests from the last five seasons will be recounting their favourite Caribbean travel memories - the islands they love - of...
Sep 28, 2021•48 min
On today’s Season 5 Finale, I’m joined by one of the UK’s leading broadcasters and most recognisable voices, Jeremy Vine. Jeremy began his journalism career as a BBC reporter for the Today show before becoming the BBC’s political correspondent at Westminster, and the BBC’s Africa correspondent based out of Johannesburg. He worked alongside Jeremy Paxman as a presenter on Newsnight and back in 2015 he donned his dancing shoes becoming a hugely popular contestant on Strictly Come Dancing - althoug...
Aug 24, 2021•52 min
Welcome to this Inspiring Ireland Destination Special where, alongside legendary Irish DJ and broadcaster Annie Mac, we celebrate all things island of Ireland. Annie’s been in the news a bit recently, because after 17 years as one of BBC Radio 1’s most loved DJs, she has left the station, and the video of her playing her final song went viral online, I think simply because she is such a legend in the industry, and a big part of the lives of so many music lovers, so this farewell was a huge deal....
Aug 17, 2021•53 min
Today I’m joined by the UK’s leading hotel critic, Fiona Duncan. Fiona has been writing about and reviewing hotels for 35 years. She began her career writing travel guides before launching her own book series with her husband The Charming Small Hotels Guides back in the 1980s. In the late 90s she was asked to write about hotels for the Telegraph, which she continues to this day, with a weekly hotel column in the Sunday Telegraph. They call her the Hotel Guru, Country & Town House Magazine ca...
Aug 10, 2021•48 min
One of the world's most prominent wildlife filmmakers and presenters, Gordon Buchanan has been filming wild and wonderful creatures in remote areas of the planet for over 30 years, capturing film across every continent apart from Antarctica. His numerous captivating and award-winning wildlife documentaries, from The Cheetah Family and Me and Snow cats and me, to Animals with Cameras and Into the Wild, are ubiquitous on our TV screens, here in the UK. I spoke to Gordon last week, the sound is a l...
Aug 03, 2021•55 min
Today, I’m thrilled to be joined by one of the most influential photographers of all time, David Loftus. I first got to know David’s work through reading Conde Nast Traveller magazine, for which he has shot numerous breathtaking travel editorials, taking him all around the globe. But he’s perhaps best known for bringing food to life for millions of people, photographing for the books of Gennaro Contaldo, Nathan Outlaw, previous podcast guest Rachel Khoo and his long time collaborator, and close ...
Jul 27, 2021•52 min
Today, I feel very privileged to be joined by a legend of the broadcasting world. John Simpson has been reporting for the BBC for 51 years, and its World Affairs Editor since 1982, covering in person more major world events than many of us could recount, from the Iranian Revolution and Tianamen Square massacre in Beijing, to the Kosovo War, and the US led invasion of Afghanistan, interviewing the majority of the world’s leaders along the way. Having broadcast from the front line in over 30 war z...
Jul 20, 2021•59 min
Today, I’m joined by one of the food world’s most recognisable faces, John Torode. John grew up in Melbourne, Australia, embarking on his culinary career when he was 16 years old, having learnt to cook from his grandmother, who raised him after his mother passed away. After apprenticeships at some of Melbourne’s best restaurants he moved to the UK, quickly making a name for himself as one of the finest chefs out there, opening restaurants like Smiths of Smithfield and The Luxe. It wasn’t long be...
Jul 13, 2021•49 min
Welcome to Season 5! Today’s guest was on the original Travel Diaries dream guest wish list. He’s a broadcasting legend and has presented some of my favourite travel series. It is, of course, Sir Trevor McDonald. Sir Trevor was born and raised in the West Indies, on the island of Trinidad and so the Caribbean is of course a big feature in his Travel Diaries today. He began his ascent to journalistic stardom over there, working as a radio reporter and news presenter, before moving to London in th...
Jul 06, 2021•57 min
It’s July 1 which means it’s Canada Day and we are going to be celebrating Canada with this bonus destination special episode. Canada has been mentioned so many times as a favourite destination on the podcast by everyone from Ben Fogle and Dan Snow to Nadiya Hussain and Ella Eyre, and today, in celebration of Canada Day, I thought it would be a great opportunity to shine a light on a region of Canada that has historically been somewhat overlooked by tourists but is now gaining a real hype with i...
Jul 01, 2021•21 min
Welcome to this Awesome Australia Destination Special. Together with much loved guests including Rick Stein, John Torode and Dynamo, we’ll be heading on an Australian adventure across the country, revealing favourite spots, hidden gems and top tips. It’s wanderlust, guaranteed! It’s June 2021 right now, and unfortunately that means that for most of us travel is currently extremely restricted. So now’s the time to plan your next big bucket list trip - and for me, Australia is top of the list. Fro...
Jun 08, 2021•38 min
Today, I'm joined by one of the most famous and successful chefs in the world and in history - Heston Blumenthal. It was an unforgettable travel experience that inspired Heston to become a chef. He’s entirely self taught, and was working other odd jobs all the way until his late twenties, when he bought a small pub in Bray in Berkshire. He called it The Fat Duck, and it went on to be award three Michelin stars and to be named The World’s Best Restaurant. A food pioneer, he’s been dubbed the Will...
Apr 06, 2021•53 min
On today’s episode, I’m joined by the multi-Grammy winning singer, Gregory Porter. Gregory’s was originally set to become an American football player, and it wasn’t until he turned 40 that his rich jazz baritone caught the attention of industry bigwigs and subsequently, jazz heads around the world. His major label debut Liquid Spirit went on to become the most streamed jazz album of all time. He's played Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, sung for the Queen and prior to Covid was travelling over 200 d...
Mar 30, 2021•57 min
Today, I’m joined by one of the most well travelled people I have ever spoken to. Geoffrey Kent is the founder, chairman and CEO of the luxury travel company, Abercrombie & Kent, and a titan of the travel industry. Before researching and recording this episode, I didn’t know that much about Geoffrey himself, and now, here in this intro, it’s hard to convey what an extraordinary life he’s led, but I’ll give it a go. Raised in rural Kenya, Geoffrey’s said that his whole childhood was like a sa...
Mar 23, 2021•53 min
Today I’m joined by one of the most established names in British luxury - the designer and businesswoman, Anya Hindmarch. Anya started her accessories business as a teenager, inspired by the leather bags she saw on her travels in Italy. Within a few short years, her designs were stocked by some of the most prestigious fashion outlets around the world. She is known for using fashion as a force for good. Back in 2004, her £5 white tote bags, with the slogan “I’m not a plastic bag” written on them,...
Mar 16, 2021•44 min
Today's guest is one who is sure to put you in a good mood. His infectious enthusiasm most recently led him to the Strictly Come Dancing final. He’s a chart-topping podcaster himself, and the star of the reality TV show Made in Chelsea. And he’s a businessman, the founder of the sweetie empire Candy Kittens. It is of course, Jamie Laing. With a father who runs a travel agent, and family all around the world, it’s no wonder that Jamie has an insatiable appetite for travel. So much so that this is...
Mar 09, 2021•50 min
Today, I’m joined by the much loved actor and comedian, Sanjeev Bhaskar. Following a late arrival into comedy, Sanjeev was catapulted to stardom in the comedy series Goodness Gracious Me, and later The Kumars at No. 42, both bringing the British Asian experience to the masses to international acclaim. This success, which has led to decades of movie and TV roles, has taken Sanjeev all over the world. India, of course, is a big feature today - Sanjeev has filmed documentaries and written books abo...
Mar 02, 2021•47 min
He’s the star of Downton Abbey, Paddington, Viceroy’s House and W1A. Today, I’m joined by one of Britain’s best loved actors - and part-time vaccine volunteer - Hugh Bonneville. Hugh stars in a new film called To Olivia where he plays the celebrated author Roald Dahl. We talk about that later on in the interview - and he was just so lovely to chat to on a very rainy gloomy lockdown day. I’ve interviewed Hugh a few times in the past and he never fails to make me laugh. He’s travelled so extensive...
Feb 23, 2021•39 min
Today, I'm joined by the nation’s favourite maitre d’ and TV personality, Fred Sirieix. Having worked in Michelin-starred restaurants in both France and the UK, Fred rose to fame back in 2013 on Channel 4’s BAFTA-winning matchmaking show First Dates, greeting nervous daters with his warmth, charm and philosophical musings (of which you’ll hear many coming up), putting them at ease before they sit down to eat in the First Dates restaurant. Now, he’s become known for his TV globetrotting too, as t...
Feb 16, 2021•42 min
This week, I’m so excited to say that business mogul and perfumer Jo Malone makes a return to the podcast, transporting us to the Middle East in this Dubai Destination Special. For avid listeners you might remember that back in Season 2 when Jo joined me as a guest, she talked about Dubai with such love, picking it as one of her all time favourites, she spends about a month each year out there, so I could think of no one better to join us today as we uncover her Dubai travel diaries, her favouri...
Feb 09, 2021•45 min
Today, I’m joined by the chef, broadcaster, food writer and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. We first got to know Hugh through his much loved River Cottage TV series and books, filmed at his River Cottage Estate on the Devon-Dorset border. His uncompromising commitment to seasonal, ethically produced food and his concern for the environment, inspired a vast and loyal fanbase. Alongside more than 20 cookery shows, he’s also tackled powerful issues in his documentary campaigns, like obesity...
Feb 02, 2021•45 min
Today, I’m joined by multi BAFTA & Emmy-winning wildlife cameraman, Gavin Thurston. Over the last 37 years, Gavin has worked on some of the most famous nature documentaries ever made, like Planet Earth and Blue Planet, most often with his long time collaborator, Sir David Attenborough. Gavin, ordinarily, spends most of the year travelling, and he’s covered every corner of the globe - its deserts, polar ice caps and deepest sea. He’s a fantastic raconteur, so this had to be a “long haul” feat...
Jan 25, 2021•1 hr 1 min
We’re back for Season 4 with the award-winning author, writer, and documentary maker, Jon Ronson. Jon is the author of many best-selling books, including So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed, Them: Adventures with Extremists, The Men who Stare at Goats which was adapted to become a movie starring George Clooney and Ewan McGregor, and The Psychopath Test which is the first book of Jon’s that I read, and was hooked ever since. He’s an acclaimed screenwriter, most recently co-writing the 2017 Netflix fil...
Jan 19, 2021•51 min
Buongiorno and welcome to this bonus Destination Special of The Travel Diaries, in partnership with the British Airways American Express® Credit Card*. Today, we’ll be heading on a tour of Incredible Italy. Italy is one of the most popular destinations on the podcast, and with the help of some of my favourite guests from the past three seasons, I’ve created a special itinerary that covers some of the country’s ultimate highlights - my guests’s favourite cities, best hotels, hidden gems and much ...
Nov 03, 2020•39 min
Today, I’m joined by one of travel’s most familiar faces. Known for his TV series tracing the Equator, the Tropics of Cancer & Capricorn, following the world’s sacred rivers and pilgrimages, travelling the length of the Americas, and deep diving into destinations like Burma, Russia and Colombia, visiting over 130 countries along the way. It is of course the adventurer, author and broadcaster, Simon Reeve. Now, if you’ve watched Simon’s shows, you’ll know they’re not your typical travel progr...
Sep 15, 2020•1 hr 2 min
On today’s episode, I’m joined by world renowned chef, restaurateur and best-selling cookbook author, Yotam Ottolenghi. Yotam had always been expected to follow his parents into the world of academia, and it wasn’t until he turned 30 that he decided to follow his true passion for food, enrolling in the prestigious Cordon Bleu culinary school in London. From there, he became a pastry chef in some of London’s top restaurants before meeting Sami Tammimi, a Palestinian chef who became his business p...
Sep 08, 2020•52 min
