Romesh Ranganathan has visited everywhere from Colombia to the Canadian Arctic in three series of his BBC2 The Misadventures Of… travelogue. Now the comedian heads to Africa for the fourth and final series.
Here's everything we know about The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan season 4...
The Misadventures Of Romesh Ranganathan release date
The comedian's popular travelogue returns for its fourth and final series on Wednesday, May 29 at 9pm on BBC2. The show will air weekly in the same slot.
Where will Romesh be visiting this series?
This time Avoidance season 2 star Romesh is heading to Africa, to tick off the final three places on his bucket list - Uganda, Rwanda and Madagascar - before putting away his passport for good.
"We wanted this fourth series to be an adventure," says Romesh. "People in the UK sometimes see Africa as homogeneous, so exploring three different African countries close to each other, yet with completely different cultures and experiences, was a wonderful opportunity."
Where is the first stop on Romesh's misadventures?
Romesh's African adventure begins on the mainland in Uganda, where he goes white water rafting on the Nile, wildlife spotting in Queen Elizabeth National Park, and enjoys a banana gin tasting session… a little too much!
Unfortunately, though, Romesh struggles to reconcile this 'perfect' wildlife idyll with the fear and oppression described during a phone call with a local LGBTQ+ activist.
"I'd only ever really known about Uganda’s 1970s dictator Idi Amin and its history but, just before we arrived, its Parliament had passed some harsh anti-homosexuality laws and this conversation was heartbreaking," says Romesh. "Although wanting to be respectful of the country I was in, I felt incredibly conflicted. It took me a while to think about anything else."
What does Romesh uncover in Rwanda and Madagascar?
As he moves on from Uganda, it seems Romesh's next stop, Rwanda, offered a similarly sobering experience.
"With Rwanda, I obviously knew about the horrible genocide that took place there, as well as the fact that Rwanda has been in the news a lot recently," admits Romesh, who also enjoyed some uplifting moments there.
"The time spent with the mountain gorillas in Rwanda felt incredibly bizarre, because to be so in and amongst nature like that is a real sensory overload. It was probably one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had."
Romesh also learned that Madagascar wasn't just a Disney film!
"Madagascar was the country that, beyond a film that wasn’t a documentary about some escaped zoo animals, I knew very little about. I knew it would have lemurs, and on that front it did not disappoint."
Didn't The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan win a BAFTA?
That's right. Romesh - who hosted this year’s BAFTAs alongside comedy pal Rob Beckett - is proud of the show's BAFTA win for Best Feature in 2020.
"It's one of my biggest achievements," he says. "I love the show and think we have made some great films, so to have that recognised is brilliant. It also made my mum very happy."
Is Romesh really giving up travelling for good?
With TV work including Avoidance, Rob & Romesh Vs... and A League of Their Own on his roster, his BBC Radio 2 show AND now a London Marathon under his belt, Romesh is arguably one of the busiest men in showbiz.
So while far-flung places might be off the cards, our Rom will still be in search of some much-needed R&R...
"My next holiday will be two weeks in Greece," he says. "The next Misadventure will be getting sand off my sun-creamed torso."
Is there a trailer for The Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan?
Yes. Here's a snippet to whet your appetite:
