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Although the Euro-hopping competitive reality show Destination X wasn't quite the summer smash the broadcaster were hoping for, it provided host Rob Brydon a lovely glow-up. The convoluted coach trip aimed to give off a globetrotting atmosphere, so the show's host got dressed in deluxe tailoring: boldly coloured three-piece suits, silky cravats and nautical jackets. All of a sudden, Brydon had the sophisticated appearance complementing his classic 007 impersonation.

Costume Changes with Musical Roots

The newest trilogy of episodes, Rob Brydon's Honky Tonk Road Trip, includes some Mr Benn-style costume changes. The genial Welshman goes full Yellowstone cowpoke sporting of flannel shirts, rugged jackets and the occasional Stetson hat. It's all part the concept that sees him piloting an imposing American truck on a 2,000-mile circuit through southern states for a crash course about the musical genre.

His mission involves with marking the centenary of country music – specifically the century mark of the Nashville radio show that evolved into the iconic venue, foundation and star-maker in the industry over decades – through the classic celebrity travelogue approach involving road tripping, gabbing to locals and engaging deeply with traditions. That the centenary aligns with country becoming, according to him, “the most rapidly expanding genre in the UK” – thanks to Taylor Swift and recent countrified albums from multiple artists, famous singers and others – offers another angle for examination.

Road Trip Experience With Insecurities

It's established Brydon is up for a road trip and conversations thanks to multiple seasons of his travel series with Steve Coogan. Initially he seems unsure if he is truly qualified to be our guide. Observing him confide to a dashboard-mounted camera evokes recollections of Keith, the melancholy driver from his early career, a beloved series. Traveling toward Music City, he phones his sitcom collaborator Jones for a pep talk. She reminds him that he has authentic music credentials: their 2009 charity single of Islands in the Stream was a UK No 1. (“Dolly and Kenny reached No 7!” she notes.)

Interview Skills and Cultural Immersion

While the overwhelming experience of a night out in the city proves challenging for Brydon – a line-dancing attempt alongside a performer now musician results in him giving up early in a popular tune – the veteran comedian is far less steady in the interview segments. His respectful lines of questioning seem to gel local etiquette, efficiently extracting Johnny Cash stories and reflections about the essence of the genre from silvery-haired veterans like the Grand Ole Opry fixture Bill Anderson and 92-year-old celebrity clothier a fashion icon. His gentle manner is effective with younger guns, like the scraggly-bearded chart-topping singer and the bluegrass banjo maestro a talented musician.

Although several the anecdotes seem familiar, the first installment does contain a single genuine curveball. What on earth is the pop star spending time in a homely east Nashville studio? Reportedly, he's been coming to Tennessee to hone his songwriting since the 1990s, and cites a country icon as an influence on Take That's enduring hit Back for Good. Here, at last, is an interviewee he can tease, joke with and wind up without fear of causing any offense. (The good-natured star, participates willingly.)

Cultural Context and Unscripted Moments

With an entire century of the genre to contextualise and honor, it's reasonable that this southern-fried tour across two states (including visits in Virginia, Alabama and Mississippi to come) aims to concentrate on music and without needing to address the current political moment. Yet it inevitably but seep in some elements. During an appearance on the polished program of the Nashville radio station WSM – proud founder of the famous show – Brydon jokingly wonders if the US and Canada maintain good relations, which throws his slick hosts from their rhythm. The audience doesn't see the likely chilly response.

A Natural Fit for the Format

But for all his apparent self-doubt, Brydon is clearly well-suited for this type of breezy, bite-size format: friendly, engaged, modest and always ready to dress the part, although he has difficulty locating an elaborate western top that comes in a medium. Might his partner worry that his wingman can do solo hosting alone? Absolutely.