Ian Wright hosting VIP Weekends on Discovery Travel & Living

Ian Wright, known as a seasoned international traveller and the witty host of travel series Globe Trekker, is back as star guest in VIP Weekends on Discovery Travel & Living. From the Prince of Mewar to superstars in Hong Kong, Ian spends no less than a week with them. Here?s what he has to say about his new show.

How different is VIP Weekends with Ian Wright from Globe Trekker?

Completely different. The VIP is just the opposite spectrum. Before you were getting dirty and getting out there, getting grubby with no money. This time you?re all smart and washing and wearing suits and silly, fancy dress stuff and you?re mixing with the richest people on the planet. That?s quite nice as well, but the hard thing about VIP is being in a world that you have no idea about. The people are not like the people you normally meet and the scary thing is that you can do as much research as possible, but if you don?t get on with them, then the programme is rubbish.

Which, would you say, was the scariest moment of the VIP experience?

It is scary knowing you?ve got a week to be with people that have no relation to your life ever, and you?ve got to get on. Take Lord and Lady Carnarvon in England. I?m at their castle? Van Dike on the wall, a meal for 20 laid out costing a thousand bucks a head, room full of mirrors, waiters, butlers and people turning up in these Maybach German cars worth $350,000 each. And you have to go in with your champagne and bow tie and you?ve got to try and dive onto people?s conversation who don?t know what the hell is going on... and it?s difficult. The rest of the stuff ? going pheasant shooting, bullfighting and all that, that?s a laugh.

What was it like to visit the Prince of Mewar on his birthday?

After formal introductions on the royal terrace, drinks were served and we were still a little bit nervous. But it was good to meet the Maharana and make some royal plans for the weekend. I gave the prince a cricket-related present. The chefs made a special cricket-inspired cake. In the evening it was a relaxed party on the terrace. The palace was lit up as the prince launched a massive sound-and-light show on the history of all the royal Mewars

Any VIPs with whom you genuinely think you made a connection?

Me and Karen Mok had a blinding time; we had a real fun time messing about in the studios. Simon Woodroffe was an incredible bloke. He?s worth $ 30 million or $ 40 million but chatting was like it was a friend I?d met down at the pub. But of say 12 there is one where I probably won?t make a connection and you?ll see it and it will be stiff. That?s part and parcel ? you can?t plan these things.

Of all the weekends with the VIPs, which was your favourite and why?

On different levels, the one in Spain stuck with me... to be with these incredible people that train up these nutty bulls. Then to see the horses training, and then the grand finale of actually seeing the guy that would be in the bullring. The whole experience? the Spanish culture, and the family was so warm.

So between Globe Trekker and VIP Weekends, which life would you choose?

The Globe Trekker life with a little bit of VIP slipped in, when nobody is watching! It?s nice to treat yourself now and again. Even if you?re backpacking, let?s stay there just for one night and get the bedbugs out.