Critic Reviews

There’s little drama — no hint of McGregor’s messy personal life as the shows rattled through a messy divorce — and no “staged” crises juice up the narrative. There’s a sense of leisure in these programs, allowing more immersion in this experience.

Long Way Home has an ambling quality about it that suits a travel-centric show, all of the scenic shots you’d expect – from the Scottish highlands to Scandinavian fjords and onward through Europe – and a level of bff banter between Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman that’s enjoyable as we become their companions for their latest two-wheeled adventure.

It may not entertain viewers less invested in McGregor and Boorman’s friendship, or vintage motorcycles, or relentless rain. But the footage of them riding eventually becomes mesmerising, in a gentle, slow-TV kind of way, and while it is steady, it is also perfectly pleasant.

Although this is McGregor and Boorman’s fourth outing in just over two decades, they get along just swell. That’s great for them, less so for Long Way Home, because the doctrine for this kind of blokeish, warm-ale and bad denim cannonball run is the Top Gear specials.