Clive Myrie's African Adventure, which premiered on BBC2, represents a new entry into the crowded genre of television travelogues. The series, spanning ten nightly episodes, opened with a visit to South Africa, a country where Myrie served as the BBC's Africa correspondent in the late 1990s. This personal history raised expectations for a unique, insider's perspective, but the first episode largely adhered to a conventional, tourist-focused format.
A Tale of Two Travelogue Styles
Television travel documentaries typically fall into two distinct categories. On one hand, there are immersive, culturally rich explorations like those undertaken by Michael Palin or Stanley Tucci, which capture the genuine essence of discovery. On the other, there are more superficial, heavily scripted excursions often fronted by comedians, which can descend into predictable sightseeing and, at their worst, rely on crude humour or gimmicky vehicles.
Clive Myrie's African Adventure does not sink to the lowest depths of the latter category. However, its inaugural instalment was disappointingly formulaic, following a predictable travel-by-numbers blueprint. This is particularly regrettable given Myrie's potential to deliver a more nuanced and personal narrative based on his professional experiences living in the region.
Sticking to the Tourist Trail
Rather than offering a guided tour of his old haunts or delving into the daily lives of ordinary South Africans, Myrie's itinerary in the first episode stuck predominantly to established tourist attractions. The programme featured a visit to Soweto's Vilakazi Street, famously home to both Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, where Myrie toured the Mandela House museum and dined with Mandela's granddaughter, Ndileka.
Their meal at a restaurant named 1947 consisted of Mandela's reported favourite dish: chicken with spicy chakalaka and braised oxtail. Myrie's comment that Mandela "would have been proud of this one" felt somewhat awkward, given the monumental scale of Mandela's achievements in leading a peaceful revolution against apartheid.
A Packed but Generic Itinerary
The series promises a lively and varied schedule in the coming episodes. Myrie is set to join an anti-poaching unit protecting endangered rhinos, visit a surf school, assist at a penguin rehabilitation centre, and even learn trapeze skills with a circus. While undeniably action-packed, this itinerary lacks a distinctive personal stamp; it is the kind of content any competent presenter could deliver, whether it be Alison Hammond, Anton du Beke, or another television personality.
Aside from a brief reunion with former colleague Milton Nkosi, there was little in the premiere to suggest South Africa was Myrie's former home turf. The segment felt detached from the deeper, lived experience he could have shared.
Highs and Lows of the Presentation
The episode was not without its moments of charm. The most engaging sequence took place at a Soweto car wash that transforms into a vibrant dance venue. Here, Myrie immersed himself in the local amapiano music scene, a beat-heavy, soulful jazz genre, and demonstrated his dancing prowess—a skill previously showcased in his Caribbean Adventure series. This genuine interaction sparked speculation about a potential future stint on Strictly Come Dancing.
However, these highlights were occasionally undermined by clunky scripting. A particularly jarring transition saw Myrie, after enjoying a thrilling stock car ride, abruptly pivot by stating, "I didn't expect to enjoy that quite as much as I did... but something I have always loved is art," before heading off for a spray-painting mural lesson. Such moments echoed the awkward segues parodied by comedy characters like Alan Partridge, breaking the narrative flow.
An Overdose of Traitors Programming
In a related scheduling note, the BBC appears to be capitalising heavily on the success of its deception-based gameshows. Following the recent victories of Rachel and Stephen in The Traitors and Alan Carr in The Celebrity Traitors, BBC3 and BBC1 have commenced broadcasting The Traitors Ireland in double episodes. This rapid succession prompts the question of whether viewers are being offered too much of a good thing in a short timeframe.
Ultimately, Clive Myrie's African Adventure on BBC2 provides pleasant, undemanding viewing with a colourful itinerary. Yet, it represents a missed opportunity to leverage Myrie's unique background for a travelogue with greater depth, insight, and personal connection, settling instead for a conventional path well-travelled by others.
