After Richard Ayoade handed over hosting duties to Lycett back in December 2021, we were primed and ready to en vacance in comedic fashion once again. And with his 96 Hours In Iceland episode offering a tantalising glimpse of things to come, all we had to do was wait for our seat number to be called.

Alas, with the way of the world around that time being less than favourable for travelling, we’ve had to wait until now to go off on our TV jollies with the lovable Lycett.  

But this is one hollibob that’s been well worth the wait. Lycett will jibe and imbibe his way around the world with a bevy of guest stars at his side, including Aisling Bea, Katherine Parkinson and Mo Gilligan. First up on the itinerary is a jaunt to the Basque Country for pintxos (small bar snacks), apple wine and many, many more pintxos. Jealous, us? Yes, absolutely.

This first episode sees Lycett accompanied by comedian James Acaster, who knows a thing or two about the foods of the world, as evidenced by his Off Menu podcast. However, with his self-proclaimed favourite food being, um, ice cream, will he get stuck into everything delectable the Basque Country has to offer?

Scroll down to see when you can catch Travel Man: 48 Hours In... on Channel 4, and also read on for our round-up of other great TV travelogues and where to watch them.

The Americas With Simon Reeve

Find it in Apps & Games > BBC iPlayer

Intrepid traveller and all-round nice boy Simon Reeve ups the ante with his latest series, travelling the length of The Americas. He’s no stranger to a formidable travel challenge, having previously covered such locales as the Mediterranean, Australia, the Indian Ocean and perhaps the most extreme of them all – Cornwall.   

Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy

Find series 1 in Apps & Games > BBC iPlayer

Known for rich culture, a debonaire outlook on life and all-round deliciousness, Stanley Tucci is surely the smoothest travel-hosting phenomenon on telly today. His affable, laid-back style allows the food, drink, culture and characters of the areas he uncovers to truly shine. Plus, he has a turtleneck collection to die for. The show received two Emmy Award nominations, winning Outstanding Hosted Nonfiction Series, and series 2 is on its merry way.

Anthony Bourdain – Parts Unknown

Find seasons 1-12 in Apps & Games > Netflix

Speaking of hosting phenomenons, there are few bigger than the late, great Anthony Bourdain. Over a 16-year TV career the chef-turned-presenter released a slew of seminal books and series, but Parts Unknown, which gives a local’s-eye view of the best food and drink in cities around the globe is among his best. 

Joanna Lumley’s Silk Road Adventure

Find series 1 in Apps & Games > ITV Hub

British institution and Absolutely Fabulous legend Joanna Lumley follows the historical Silk Road trail from Venice to Uzbekistand, by way of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Iran and Kyrgyzstan. Phew! But it’s all in a day’s work for our Patsy, who somehow balances unveiling the majesty of these far-flung lands with looking very majestic indeed, more often than not atop a mountain, holding an eagle. As you do. Her closer-to-home series, Travels In My Own Land, is also available in the ITV Hub.

Great British Railway Journeys

Find series 6 in Catch Up > Channels > Yesterday

Fellow sartorialist Michael Portillo – just LOOK at those chinos – gets all dressed up to... sit on a train. But there’s a method to the locomotion as Portillo is a storyteller extraordinaire, retracing the steps outlined in 19th-century cartographer George Bradshaw’s series of travel guide books with schoolboy enthusiasm. It’s the TV equivalent of the best cup of tea ever.

When is Channel 4’s Travel Man: 48 Hours In... on TV?

Travel Man: 48 Hours In... airs on Channel 4 HD (CH 104/141) on Mondays at 8.30pm, with the first episode screening on Monday 4 April. It is also available in Apps & Games > All 4.