The History of Morecambe and Heysham Past and Present

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Filmed entirely on location, the series features a mix of Portillo delivering dialogue to the camera, as well as performing ad-hoc interviews with members of the public or fellow travellers, in addition to pre-arranged interviews. Portillo explores the Conwy valley, stopping at Britain's first artists' colony at Betws-y-Coed, visiting the Victorian slate capital of Blaenau Ffestiniog and taking a steam train down to the harbour at Porthmadog.

Crossing into Cornwall, he learns about the last bridge to be built by one of his heroes, the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. At the family home of Florence Nightingale in the New Forest, he finds out what motivated the Lady of the Lamp, before seizing the chance to drive the first motor car at Beaulieu. He learns how the railways helped to make Birmingham the pen-making capital of the world, hears the chilling tale of one of 19th-century Britain's most notorious murderers and samples the delicacies concocted in a Victorian kitchen at Shugborough Hall.

He then heads to Dover to explore a sunken fortress known as the Western Heights, before crossing into Surrey where he blow-dries a hen in Dorking. Continuing his journey, he goes to Salford Central to see the construction centre for the aforementioned bridge.

Portillo learns how one man's vision helped bring train travel to the Highlands, discovers how farming has changed since Bradshaw's day and hears the remarkable tale of Scotland's Victorian gold rush. The memorial differs from most as it lists the First World War as 1914 to 1919 rather than 1914 to 1918. Portillo finds out about free holiday trains for the Great Western Railway workers at the Swindon Works, samples the Roman Baths in Bath and tries his hand at glass blowing in Bristol.He also meets comedian Janey Godley in Calton, Glasgow and Glasgow Green to discuss the contrasting poverty and grandeur of those respective places.

He then discovers how the railways transformed the game of golf at the Prestwick Golf Club and uncovers the story of the great Victorian tartan hoax in the Vestiarium Scoticum at Paisley. It offers the opportunity for young people aged 8–18 to play music, cook or just use the facilities to catch up with friends. In March 2019 a Time and Tide Bell designed by Marcus Vergette was installed beside the Stone Jetty, as part of a national public art project. Two piers were lost: West End Pier was partly washed away in a storm in November 1977, and the remnants were demolished in 1978; Central Pier, damaged by fire in 1933, was removed in 1992.Portillo travels through Hampshire and Berkshire, stopping-off at Stratfield Saye House, the stately home bequeathed by the nation to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, in 1817. In Oakham in Rutland, Portillo learns about a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages and decides to take part.