Tuesday TV Choice: Bradley and Barney Walsh: Breaking Dad (ITV1, 8pm)
As co-hosts of the revamped Gladiators, Bradley and Barney Walsh are used to watching other people test their strength and dexterity in the name of entertainment. Now it’s the turn of father and son to hold their nerve as they continue their epic adventure across Asia.
Previous road trips have taken them through North and South America and Europe but this latest six-part journey samples the intoxicating flavours of Japan and Thailand. “It was great to get stuck into learning about both countries’ cultures,” reveals Barney. “It’s the furthest we’ve travelled together for the series and I think it’s the most exciting one yet.”
Bradley wholeheartedly agrees. “It was also great to meet so many wonderful people. We had a great guide who travelled with us across Japan. He was such a laugh, and brilliant at karaoke!”
Father and son have been in fine voice in the Land of the Rising Sun on the first leg of their life-changing expedition. This week, they put the pedal to the metal to experience the real-life Tokyo Drift. The Fast & Furious films showcased drift racing competitions, popularised in Japan, and Bradley and Barney need to sharpen their driving skills to oversteer vehicles to glide around turns at thrilling speed.
Wacky record breaker Mr Cherry ignites the pair’s competitive spirit when the Walshes go head-to-head in a walnut cracking contest. The twist? They must break the shells between the cheeks of their bottoms. Then, the promise of a Zen meditation session sounds relaxing but Barney’s plans for his dad are extreme.
During the tour of Japan, Barney fulfils one of his lifelong goals: mastering the necessary skills to become a Ninja for a day. “My younger self would be proud,” he beams. Bradley has particularly fond memories of playing with impressive supersized robots built by two engineering brothers. “The one I had a go at controlling was so massive they couldn’t get it out of the warehouse,” he recalls. “It was kitted out with these little balls you could shoot out, so I had a great time terrorising Barney and the crew for a bit!”
The terror was real for Bradley during the pair’s European road trip in 2021 when he pulled out of a 220-metre-high bungee jump off the Contra Dam in Switzerland, which would have seen him recreate the opening stunt of the James Bond film GoldenEye. The Chase host has a chance at redemption in Asia if he can throw himself off a bridge and let the bungee cord resist gravity’s pull.
For all the stomach-churning and pulse-quickening ordeals, the pair’s favourite moments of this trip are close to home. “The highlight for me has got to be the quality time I got to spend with Barney, having a laugh and making lifelong memories together,” confides Bradley. “For me, the biggest highlight of all is that people still love the show,” adds his son, “and that we might have inspired other families to travel.”