The one-off special will see Ant & Dec send Stephen Mulhern somewhere he has never been before.
During this year's Edinburgh Television Festival, it was announced that Stephen Mulhern and Ant & Dec have teamed up for a new ITV1 travel format, The Accidental Tourist (working title).
Stephen Mulhern is a man who likes what he knows and that does not include travelling to exotic locations, trying new foods or being pushed out of his comfort zone in any way.
But now Stephen has asked Ant & Dec to help him finally change his ways… and they have decided to send their good friend to Asia to broaden his horizons.
In this one-off special Stephen will be thrust out of his comfort zone to see if he can truly unearth the adventurer within. With Ant & Dec taking their cues from their favourite viral clips, they are sending Stephen somewhere he has never been before, in an effort to help to test his resolve and push his boundaries.
Stephen will encounter epic locations, exotic cultures and cuisines, incredible people and places and exhilarating activities he would never have chosen for himself.
So will this ultimate immersive experience make Stephen finally embrace the unknown and unleash his inner traveller?
Speaking about The Accidental Tourist, Stephen Mulhern said "Travelling and adventure have never been on my list of favourite things... so to say I'm nervous would be a huge understatement!"
"This project sort of feels like the world's worst bucket list! There are lots of things I love in life, just as much as there are things I don't like; fancy food, exotic places, and even the sound of the cutlery scraping on the food tins on I'm A Celebrity can tip me over the edge! I've never even had a cup of coffee... so don't get me started on avocado!"
"In this case, I can't help but feel I’m going to be facing them all! I like to have a lot of laughs during the shows I present, but I’ve got a sense you’ll be seeing a lot more emotions than just laughter on this journey! I hope you enjoy it and please wish me luck!"
To which Ant said "It’s going to be a lot of fun, for us mainly, not so much for Stephen!"
And Dec added "We can’t wait to send Stephen off on his exotic journey of self-discovery and see what he uncovers."
The Accidental Tourist was commissioned by ITV’s Director Factual Entertainment Sue Murphy and Head of Development and Commissioning Editor Kate Teckman. It will be co-produced by South Shore and Mitre Studios and executive produced by Ed Sleeman and Jack Shillaker for Mitre Studios.
Speaking about the show, Sue Murphy said "This is pure treat TV and a fantastic vehicle for the multiple talents of Ant, Dec and Stephen. It's such a timely idea and we can't wait for the drama, the humour and the mayhem."
To which Kate Teckman added "The ultimate voyage of discovery, sunny, funny and with a big, big heart, who wouldn't want to go on this trip of a lifetime with Ant and Dec and Stephen?"
Melanie Leach, CEO at South Shore said "We are very much looking forward to expanding Stephen’s horizons alongside his culinary palette with the help of Ant & Dec and our friends at Mitre Studios."
And Ed Sleeman, Managing Director at Mitre, said "We can’t wait to get started on this hilarious adventure almost as much as Stephen can wait to get started on it."
The Accidental Tourist will air in 2025 on ITV1
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