May 16, 2024 – Clive once again returns to screens with his new travel series, Clive Myrie’s Caribbean Adventure, a celebration of island life and Clive’s own ancestry.

Following on from his much loved Italian Road Trip, this time Clive embarks on an epic journey to reconnect with family, explore his own heritage and experience the rich mix of cultures that makes island life so very special.

In this 15×30 series, Clive will take viewers across the four islands of Jamaica, Cuba, Barbados and the Dominican Republic, unearthing family roots and forging personal connections with each unique location.

Clive Myrie’s Caribbean Adventure airs from Monday 27 May on iPlayer BBC Two at 6.30pm. All episodes will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer from Monday 27 May.

Interview with Clive Myrie

What can we expect from this series?

This series was very much about trying to tell a little bit of the history of the Caribbean through my family’s eyes and the connection it has to me. I’ll be unearthing my ancestral roots and reconnecting with family members I didn’t even know I had! I’ll be taking in the vibrant streets of Cuba, the nightlife of Jamaica, the lush landscapes of the Dominican Republic and the beach paradise of Barbados. Look forward to fantastic food, a melange of so many things – chicken, lamb, fish all chucked in together with a rich tapestry of spices and incredible flavours. Also, I’ll be exploring the Caribbean’s infamous music scene – ballet in Cuba, Dub club Reggae in Jamaica and Salsa Merengue in the Dominican Republic – it’s going to be amazing.

Tell us about your connection to the Caribbean

My parents were born in Jamaica and are part of the Windrush generation. They came to Britain in the 1960s. I was their first child born in the UK, but my two eldest brothers and older sister were born in Jamaica. My sister has just moved back to Jamaica and we film with her on a coffee farm in the Jamaica films. My mum, dad and wife also feature in the Jamaica films.

What’s been your favourite moment from the series?

There were so many standout moments but I will never forget being on the back of Ernesto Guevara’s (Che Guevara’s son’s) motorbike, taking me through the old parts of Havana and seeing these amazing buildings that are crumbling. Seeing his dad’s big picture in Revolution Square was a definite highlight and one that I imagine is quite surreal for him, seeing pictures of his dad all over the world. Swimming with racehorses in Barbados was also a definite highlight. Hydrotherapy is proven to be good for the animals, it calms them down, helps them if they’re injured and the beach is only 600 yards from the stables. Being able to swim with them was an amazing experience and something I’ll always remember.

It’s nice to see you out the newsroom, are travelogues something you enjoy doing?

I’ve always been fascinated by cultures and ideas, what it means to be a human being. Whether you’re in Japan or Germany or South Africa or Australia, I’ve always been interested in that side of the human condition. Part of my personality is quite serious and that’s the sort of day job, being a correspondent and a reporter satiates that part of my personality. But there is another part of my personality, and anyone who knows me knows I like a laugh and to have fun, enjoy good food, wine, music, art, literature and culture, so to be able to satisfy that other half of my life is brilliant and I get that opportunity when I’m doing these travel series, which is great. As a foreign correspondent, you get to know different countries very well and you have to understand the culture in order to report on that. In a travel series, you get to see another side or another layer to these places and that’s brilliant.

What do you hope viewers take away from the series?

I hope viewers take away a piece of sunshine from the Caribbean. It’s a really joyful series and one I’m really proud of. I hope viewers also take away a sense of the history and culture of this beautiful part of the world. The vibrancy, the creativity, the friendliness of its people.

What was your favourite foods on your travels?

I’m going to have to say that Jamaican food easily is the best of the four islands for me and I’m not just saying that, but it’s the spices, that Indian influence. I’ve definitely maintained my love of spicy food. I did also manage to reacquaint myself with what they call hard food on my travels, so yams, cassava and bread fruits. These are things I grew up with in Bolton from my Caribbean parents but which I didn’t really like much at the time. Also boiled green bananas are absolutely delicious. I’m definitely more into cooking with my Caribbean recipes, such as rice and peas and stewed chicken and fish now. It’s funny my wife said to me I’ve become more Caribbean as I’ve got older.

Music plays a big part in Caribbean culture, do you have a favourite genre/style from your travels?

I love music from the Caribbean whether it’s the reggae of Bob Marley, or Cuban salsa and the Buena Vista Social Club. Jamaican ‘dancehall’ is great to get down to and don’t forget merengue from the Dominican Republic. I love it all, and was able to indulge my musical passions to the max on my adventure. It was so much fun, and I hope viewers find it fun too.

(Image: Clive Myrie with a classic car in Havana: BBC/Alleycats TV)