‘Just being in Glasgow was something’
◆ As The Reluctant Traveller with Eugene Levy returns to Apple TV+, the Schitt’s Creek star tells Rachael Davis about his adventures – including a trip to Scotland
It’s fair to say that travelling was not something that took particular precedence on Eugene Levy’s bucket list.
However, that all changed in 2023 when the Canadian star of Schitt’s Creek, American Pie, Best in Show and A Mighty Wind led a documentary series aptly titled The Reluctant Traveller.
The Apple TV+ programme saw him step out of his comfort zone and begin a globetrotting adventure, opening his eyes to the joys of travel and the whole world of culture that was just beyond his doorstep.
Overcoming his reservations, Levy, now 77, visited some of the world’s most beautiful and exciting destinations in Costa Rica, Finland, Italy, Japan, the Maldives, Portugal, South Africa and the United States, staying in truly remarkable hotels and delving into the cultures that make these places so unique.
While we got to watch in wonder as Levy stayed in ostentatious luxury accommodation, it was when he mingled with the locals that you saw the real joy creep into his eyes – as has happened with many a jet-setter, he realised the true joy of travelling comes from the people you meet along the way.
Despite not being remotely keen on travel before he made the documentary’s first series, after he confronted his apprehension head on Levy was eager for more.
Now, in the second series of his Apple TV+ documentary, we see him take off on a grand tour of Europe, giving us a glimpse of the continent as we’ve never seen it previously.
On his spectacular adventure, Levy journeys from the very north to the very south, venturing off the beaten path and diving into a whole host of novel experiences.
In Sweden he prepares for the celebration of Midsummer with a moosetracking escapade. He indulges in French cuisine in St Tropez, relaxes with some German wellness on the island of Sylt, goes on a fishing expedition around the Greek island of Milos, harvests grapes in Italy and plays football with a Spanish legend in Seville.
And here in Scotland, he visits his mother’s homeland for the first time.
Over seven episodes, Levy steps more and more out of his comfort zone, taking part in some extraordinary activities and learning about the intricacies of European cultures – and we get to follow him every step of the way.
As Levy reflects on his trip of a lifetime, let’s hear more about his highlights.
Eugene, you headed to Europe for Series Two of the Reluctant Traveller – had you
seen much of the continent previously?
No, not much of Europe. But there’s a few cities... I love going to London, I did Paris, Rome.
So when the idea of a European season came up, I actually was getting quite excited about it, and then found out, well, it’s not the Europe that you think you might be seeing.
How so?
We’re kind of going off the beaten path a little bit here. We’re going to be kind of seeing some of the hidden gems, so to speak, that Europe might have to offer. So yeah, it was good, doing Europe from north to south, the very top to the very bottom.
I was ready for it. I was actually kind of pumped for it.
You visit the UK this time, more specifically Scotland – your mother’s homeland. How was that?
Well, I was more touched by it than I thought I would be because I never really had – even though she came from Scotland – I never really had a strong desire to go to Scotland because it was the place where my mother was born.
So I’m glad it came up this season… And I’m glad I was there.
It was pretty amazing how I felt a connection to her and her family, her brothers and sisters, my uncles and aunts. When I got there,
especially when we got to Glasgow, it became quite kind of palpable for me, being in the place where all these little stories that I heard growing up were happening.
But the hardship of it all, of her growing up, she never really talked about and seeing it kind of first-hand, about just how tough it was for 11 people to be living in three small rooms was… I don’t know. It was moving. It was.
Were there any places in Scotland that you particularly enjoyed? Well, again just being in Glasgow was something, because that was my life, that’s what I was absorbing when I was a kid and growing up. Balmoral was really interesting, and quite beautiful.
We know that’s where the royals would go to their castle, and I got to see the castle when I was there. That was kind of a trip, that was good.
But (it’s) beautiful country up there. The only other time I actually got to see it was watching movies like The Queen, where the movie’s about the Royal Family and they take their cameras up to that country, and you kind of go: Boy, it’s beautiful.
But when you’re there, it’s just stunning. It’s fantastic.