TV CHOICES

Wilderness with Simon Reeve BBC2, 9pm

Not all of Simon Reeve’s TV travels involve exotic locations - he’s presented documentaries exploring Cornwall and the Lake District. However, for his new series, he’s heading to some of the most remote places on Earth, where nature still has the upper hand. Over the next few weeks, he’ll be exploring the Pacific Ocean’s spectacular Coral Triangle, the sweeping Kalahari desert, and the landscapes of

Patagonia, meeting the people who live there and finding out how these remarkable wildernesses can be preserved for future generations. However, his first destination is the Congo, where he battles his way through thick jungle and tropical swaps to learn more about the inhabitants of Africa’s greatest rainforest.

George Clarke’s Adventures in Americana Channel 4, 9pm

George Clarke has long had a fascination with the design movement known as Americana, which is now seen as deeply nostalgic but has its roots in the era when the US was looking to a big, bold future. So, in this series, he’s taking a trip across the States to relive the golden age of Americana and meet the people who are keeping its spirit alive. He begins by travelling the 650 miles from New Orleans in Louisiana to Bandera, Texas, known as the ‘Cowboy Capital of the World’. Along the way, George learns more about how waves of immigration shaped both states’ very different architectural styles, pays a harrowing visit to a former slave plantation and calls in at a buffalo ranch and bull-riding rodeo.