Michael Palin Journeys to the Philippines for ITN Series 5
Channel 5 has commissioned a three-part travel series. ITN Productions makes the show. Each episode runs for 60 minutes.
The presenter is Michael Palin. The series examines life across the Philippine islands. It mixes tourist scenes with stark social and political realities.
Political backdrop
The programme explores a nation still affected by the Marcos legacy. Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos’s son, Bongbong, is now president. The family had been exiled roughly 40 years earlier.
The series also notes legal action against the previous president. Rodrigo Duterte faces arrest at the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands. He is accused of the deaths of about 30,000 people and of crimes against humanity.
Field reporting and locations
Palin visits the capital city to examine everyday life under this unusual political climate. He then travels to the militarised Pagasa island, located in the contested South China Sea. There he witnesses a confrontation involving Philippine and Chinese coastguard vessels.
The journey covers many islands of the archipelago. The Philippines has 7,641 islands. Palin sleeps in remote beach camps on El Nido and explores underground rivers.
He swims with large schools of sardines off Moalboal. In the south, he travels in Mindanao. Parts of Mindanao remain labelled by the UK Foreign Office as ‘do not travel’ zones.
Under military escort, he explores the ruined city of Marawi. On the island of Jolo he meets a member of Abu Sayyaf. The series presents the region’s security challenges up close.
Previous work and production team
Palin has previously made journeys to Venezuela, Nigeria, Iraq, and North Korea for the channel. This new commission continues that run of travel projects.
- Commissioned by Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning at Channel 5.
- Series producer and director is Neil Ferguson of ITN.
- Jeremy Daldry is executive producer at ITN Productions.
- The format is three hour-long episodes (3×60’).
Creative approach and tone
The production team calls the shoot ambitious. They describe rapid shifts between idyllic scenes and darker moments. Filming included political protests, military flights, overnight ferries, and remote island visits.
Palin reflected that the journey was revealing and testing. The team praised his energy, warmth, and humour throughout the trip.
Publication and release
Hutchinson Heinemann will publish a tie-in book in the autumn. The book will appear in hardback, ebook, and audiobook formats. Filmogaz.com reported the commission and production details.
The commission is promoted under the banner Michael Palin Journeys to the Philippines for ITN Series 5. The series promises a mix of travel spectacle and frontline reporting.
