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While the continent-crossing reality competition the travel contest wasn't quite the seasonal hit the broadcaster were hoping for, it did give host Rob Brydon a stylish transformation. The convoluted coach trip clearly wanted to project a jet-setting vibe, so the show's host was outfitted in deluxe tailoring: boldly coloured three-piece suits, silky cravats and nautical jackets. Unexpectedly, Brydon had the debonair look to match his classic Roger Moore impression.

Costume Changes and Country Music

The newest trilogy of episodes, Brydon's Country Music Expedition, includes some Mr Benn-style costume changes. The genial Welshman goes full western rancher sporting of flannel shirts, sturdy coats and sometimes a Stetson hat. It's all part of a premise where he driving a massive Ford Ranger pickup truck on a 2,000-mile circuit of the southern US to learn quickly in country music.

His mission involves celebrating the centenary of country music – or at least the 100th anniversary of the Nashville radio show which became the Grand Ole Opry, cornerstone and kingmaker of country music for generations – via the time-honoured celebrity travelogue approach involving driving around, gabbing to locals and engaging deeply in the culture. This anniversary has coincided with country becoming, according to him, “the fastest-growing music style in Britain” – due to global superstars and new country-inspired records from multiple artists, famous singers and others – provides additional perspective for examination.

Travel History With Insecurities

It's established he enjoys long drives and a chinwag because of the various incarnations of The Trip with Steve Coogan. Initially he seems unsure about his credentials to be our guide. Watching him confide to a dashboard-mounted camera certainly brings back recollections of a character, the sad-sack cabby from Brydon's TV breakthrough, Marion & Geoff. Traveling toward Music City, he calls his Gavin & Stacey collaborator Jones for a pep talk. She recalls that he has some genuine country bona fides: their 2009 Comic Relief cover of a classic duet topped the charts. (“The original artists reached seventh place!” she points out.)

Conversational Talents and Cultural Immersion

If the “full sensory overload” of a night out in the city proves challenging for the host – trying to dance with the UK actor turned country singer results in him tap out early in a popular tune – the veteran comedian is much more steady during conversations. His respectful lines of questioning blends well with southern manners, gathering Johnny Cash stories and general musings about the essence of country music from silvery-haired veterans like the institution's mainstay Bill Anderson and 92-year-old tailor-to-the-stars Manuel Cuevas. His calm approach also works with newer artists, like the bearded chart-topping singer and the instrumental virtuoso Tray Wellington.

Although several the anecdotes feel well worn, the opening episode includes at least one unexpected moment. Why exactly is the pop star spending time in a homely east Nashville studio? Reportedly, he's been coming the state to hone his compositions since the 1990s, and points to a country icon as inspiration for his band's bulletproof ballad Back for Good. Here, at last, we meet a guest he can tease, joke with and wind up without worrying about creating a diplomatic incident. (Barlow, bless him, participates willingly.)

Broader Implications With Spontaneous Interactions

With an entire century of country to contextualise and honor, it's reasonable this regional journey through Tennessee and Kentucky (including visits in Virginia, Alabama and Mississippi to come) wants to focus on the art and without needing to address contemporary issues. But it cannot help includes some elements. While guesting on the glossy morning show on the local broadcaster the established creator of the Grand Ole Opry – Brydon jokingly wonders if the US and Canada maintain good relations, disrupting his slick hosts from their rhythm. We do not get the likely presumably icy aftermath.

A Natural Fit in This Role

But for all his apparent self-doubt, Brydon is clearly well-suited for this sort of breezy, bite-size format: amiable, interested, modest and always ready to dress the part, even if he has difficulty locating an elaborate western top that comes in a medium. Should Coogan be concerned that his wingman is capable of solo hosting without him? Definitely.