Robson Green's Weekend Escapes series two to feature Warkworth, Amble, Alnmouth, and more

The first episode of the 15-part series will air on Monday, January 1 on BBC Two at 7pm and subsequent episodes will be shown at 6.30pm Monday to Friday.

All episodes will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer after the first one airs.

The show sees the presenter, who was born in Hexham and grew up near Cramlington, bring family, famous friends, and the viewers along as he takes in the region’s breath-taking landscapes and cultural heritage, and participates in a string of unique activities.

Robson said: “It is a real comfort blanket for the soul. It is a genuine tonic.

“With everything else that is going on in the world this, I guarantee, will make you genuinely happy and make you want to appreciate nature more.”

Throughout the series Robson visits Warkworth, Beadnell, Amble, and various remote parts of Northumberland with his guest stars. He also stops off in Cumbria, the Scottish Borders, County Durham, and Yorkshire.

His guest stars include Faye Tozer from Steps, ex-Newcastle United striker Shola Ameobi, and Loose Women’s Denise Welch, as well as a number of his own family members.

The first episode follows Robson and star of Inspector Morse, Lewis, and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Kevin Whately as they reminisce about growing up in the North East.

The pair try their hands at sand art in on Alnmouth beach then take to the sea with a local rowing club and have a go at learning the border pipes. Robson then spends the night at a cabin in Tughall and attempts to learn willow weaving.

A number of the episodes also feature Robson’s family, who the Grantchester star describes as the most important people in his life.

He said: “It was an absolute joy being alongside them and being alongside people who have inspired me, like Kevin Whately. He created a gateway for actors and performers like me and my ilk.

“And I was alongside Shola Ameobi. I watched him score goals against Barcelona for goodness sake. The man is an icon of sport and still a great ambassador for sport and the area, which he loves very much.

“To be with those people and to remind them of childhood was a real privilege and honour, and I never took one second of their company for granted.”

The themes of a digital detox and joyful childhood memories are, Robson said, deliberate parts of Weekend Escapes, and frequently lead to more open conversations between him and his guests.

The presenter, who previously fronted the ITV documentary series Tales from Northumberland, said: “I think we open up in the outdoors in a way we do not in the constraints of the four walls that we are surrounded by and the digital world that infests our lives.”

He added: “I remember walking along the river and salmon leaping, and the profound and emotional effect that had on me.

“It is those triggers of childhood, and genuine happiness, and getting away from something that is a distraction, which is your mobile phone, that really came across, and therefore people opened up.”