Great Australian Railway Journeys: Adelaide to Perth: The Indian Pacific
8:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Monday, April 27 on U&Yesterday (27)
Add to Favourites
About this Broadcast
Adelaide to Perth: The Indian Pacific
Season 1, Episode 3
Michael Portillo embarks on an adventure aboard the transcontinental Indian Pacific Railway, from Adelaide to Perth. Along the way he hears the story of an enterprising 19th-century Briton with a murky past who made his money growing vines, strikes it lucky in one of the most lucrative goldfields in the world and pays a flying visit to the doctor to hear how patients in remote Western Australia are cared for. He also hears how Edward VIII was caught up in a train accident near Bridgetown and learns about a child migration programme that cast a dark shadow on the history of both the UK and Australia
HD
subtitles
16x9
Leisure Hobbies
Tourism/Travel
More Information
Did You Know..
Michael Portillo
(Presenter)
Born:
May 26, 1953
in
Bushey, Hertfordshire
Best Known For:
Losing his parliamentary seat in 1997.
Early-life:
Michael Denzil Xavier Portillo was born in north London on May 26, 1953. He is the son of Luis (an exiled Spanish republican) and Scotland-born teacher Cora. As a child he wanted to become an actor, and appeared in a TV advert for Ribena. After attending Harrow County School for Boys, Michael went on to graduate from Cambridge with a first class degree in history and worked at a shipping company for a year. In 1976, he moved to the Conservative Research Department, where he spent three years. He worked for various government ministers until 1983.
Career:
Portillo entered the House of Commons in 1984 as the MP for Enfield Southgate following the murder of the previous incumbent, Sir Anthony Berry, in the IRA bombing of Brighton's Grand Hotel. He was a minister for 11 years and held three positions in the Cabinet, including Secretary of State for Defence. In 1997, he was one of many Tory MPs who lost their seats at the general election that saw Labour sweep to power. He returned to the Commons between 2000 and 2005, becoming Shadow Chancellor. However, his decision to leave politics led to a new career as a political pundit and a TV presenter, fronting documentaries on subjects as diverse as the death penalty, the railways and composer Wagner.
Quote:
On losing his Enfield seat in 1997: 'Well it was certainly a great opportunity to return to normal life.'
Trivia:
Portillo has been married to Carolyn Eadie since 1982.
Alison Kreps
(Series editor)
Dave Minchin
(Director)
