Ellie Taylor and Intrepid pitch new series to shake up travel TV

June 2025

• You’ve heard of Travel Man, we’re calling for Travel Ann. Hilarious new video shows the comedian putting forward her “pitch” to be the new face of travel TV as she backs a campaign to get more women fronting travel shows 
• Out of the travel shows commissioned in the last year, less than a quarter (23%) were fronted solely by female hosts 
• Half of women (49%) want shows to specifically highlight the issues female travellers’ experience including safety (54%) and cultural differences (49%) 
• Intrepid Travel and Ellie Taylor are calling for a much-needed shift across mainstream TV, urging broadcasters to move away from the travel show format by optioning new series, Travel Ann 

Award-winning comedian and television host, Ellie Taylor, has launched her bid to be the new face of travel TV as new research shows that Brits are turning off from the same, tired formats.  

Partnering with leaders in small group adventure travel, Intrepid Travel, Ellie Taylor appears in a hilarious “pitch” for the role of a new female travel TV icon - the host of proposed new travel show, Travel Ann - in order to mix up the format following research which highlights almost half of Brits (48%) are “exhausted” by travel TV content of two male hosts on a tour.  

The video sees Ellie Taylor nod to tropes currently prevalent in travel TV – think two male comedians on a road trip sipping wine. Over half of Brits (54%) say this format dominates the genre, with over a third (36%) calling it “overdone”, “boring” or “needing a refresh”. 

Whilst Ellie Taylor lightly jibes that it is time for an iconic female to take the helm and switch things up, this is supported by over half (52%) of those aged 25-34 saying they would be more likely to tune into travel TV shows if they were hosted by a woman instead of a man. Similarly, separate research conducted by Intrepid found that out of the travel shows commissioned in the last year, less than a quarter (23%) were fronted solely by female hosts. This is a hugely missed opportunity for the travel industry where 80% of holiday buying decisions are made by women and over a third (35%) of Brits - and specifically 32% of women - say that they have been on a holiday inspired by a travel TV show. 

It’s not only just a matter of getting a new female lead and away from the travel landscape that 44% of Brits called “pale, male, and stale”. Instead, Travel Ann will highlight what 49% of women (and 52% of women aged 25-34) want; a show that more accurately addresses issues faced by female adventurers such as safety (54%), building confidence when solo traveling (44%), and cultural differences (44%).  

Intrepid has seen a huge jump in midlife women travelling with them so they know women are adventurous. But that's not reflected on our screens. To encourage commissioners to respond to what audiences are really looking for, Intrepid Travel has partnered with TV producer Nicola Hebden (Travel Man and Jack Whitehall: Travels With My Father) to develop a proposal for a fresh new travel series - Travel Ann. The show will follow Ellie as she meets extraordinary women around the world who have dedicated their lives to creating meaningful change in their communities. These are women breaking boundaries and redefining what it means to lead in the travel and conservation space. In one proposed episode, Ellie spends time with The Black Mambas – the world’s first and only all-female, unarmed anti-poaching unit – who are protecting endangered wildlife and inspiring a new generation of women conservationists. 

The primary aim of the show will be to inspire adventurous women and shine a line on the issues female travellers care about most. The show will then be pitched to UK TV networks, with Intrepid challenging them to commission the series for a full run. Ellie Taylor says "I’ve spent my career challenging outdated attitudes, and travel TV is long overdue for a shake-up. It’s wild that last year in 2024 only 23% of travel shows were hosted by women, despite the fact that so many women are passionate about travel, exploration, and storytelling. Intrepid found 48% of people consider travel to be a male-dominated industry, but it shouldn’t be!” 

“I’m thrilled to be partnering with Intrepid Travel to shine a light on this issue – and to do it in a way that makes people laugh while still making a serious point. We’re not just calling out the disparity, we’re also starting a conversation about what needs to change, and hopefully, inspiring networks to rethink who they put in the spotlight.” 

Nicola Hebden, Travel Ann’s proposed producer, says “I’ve always admired Intrepid’s goal of inspiring more women to see themselves as adventurers, so I was so excited when they approached me for this project. They have previously found that 87% of women don’t feel represented in travel and adventure content on TV, and I can’t wait to try and make a real difference from inside the industry”.  

Joanna Reeve, UK & Ireland General Manager, Intrepid Travel says "It’s disappointing to see how underrepresented women still are in UK travel television. Female travellers bring rich, diverse perspectives to the way we experience the world, and its high time that was properly reflected on screen. As a brand that champions inclusivity and authentic storytelling, we believe showcasing more women—particularly those from varied backgrounds—isn’t just important, it’s essential." 

Travel Ann is in the process of being pitched to major UK TV networks for a 6-episode run. Further information on the TV series can be found here.