Sue Perkins looks at both sides of the border debate
Witness the tales of human triumph, tragedy and heartbreak from the contentious US-Mexico divide
NO MATTER how much we love someone, every now and then, we need a little time apart. Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins are one of British TV’s most beloved double acts, appearing in a string of shows since the 1990s, most notably The Great British Bake Off.
Not all of them have been a success of course – their revamp of The Generation Game springs to mind – and over the years they have also gone their separate ways to front other shows before coming back together again.
Sue has had solo (or at least non-Giedroyc) success with travel shows in recent years. In 2014 she travelled the Mekong River, a year later she explored Kolkata, and since then has taken trips to the Ganges and Japan.
Now she is off on another expedition, this time traversing the 2,000 miles from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico, meeting people on both sides of the US-Mexico border along the way.
It’s an area that’s been embroiled in controversy in recent years thanks to President Trump’s efforts to build a wall along the border in order to keep those seeking a new life in America out – and that’s one of the reasons why this two-part programme is so fascinating.
“This is a journey through vibrant cities, steeped in culture and tradition, and some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world,” explains Sue.
“This is a land of human triumph and tragedy, where heartbreak and hard lives share space with joy, celebration and endless surprises.”
She begins her journey in the Mexican city of Tijuana, where she helps Honduran volunteers build a hostel for fellow refugees who are fleeing violence in their country.
She then catches up with an Arizona sheriff who discusses ongoing battles with Mexican drugs cartels; later, a rancher reveals what it’s like to be confronted by migrants climbing over the wall onto his land.
Sue criss-crosses the border throughout her journey while experiencing the good, the bad and the ugly of life along it.
After joining American retirees who have swapped their home nation for life in Mexico – yes, there are those who make the opposite journey to the one that’s usually focused on – she celebrates the Mexican Day of the Dead and meets families who have been separated by the wall, including a woman bringing up her family alone in El Paso because her husband can’t settle legally in the US.
Other highlights include the landscape itself, in particular the gorges and rapids of the Rio Grande, which form a natural border, and a discussion with a priest whose protests against the wall – just as the builders began construction – have hit the headlines.
Hamish Fergusson, Commissioning Editor, BBC Documentaries, says: “I’m delighted that Sue Perkins is bringing her unique blend of humour and compassion to give a fascinating and timely insight into what life is really like for people living along one of the most contentious borders in the world.”
Sue Perkins: Along the US-Mexico Border is on tomorrow, BBC1 at 9pm