Rob Brydon takes viewers on a magical mystery tour with Destination X

Destination X is a brand new competitive reality format played out over an incredible journey through Europe – a journey where things are not what they seem.

Rob Brydon is the gamesmaster who takes thirteen contributors onboard the X-bus and asks them one simple question – where the X are they? With blacked out windows all they have to do is try and deduce where in the world they are because at the end of every episode they must place an X on a map. Whoever puts their X furthest away from the location is immediately thrown off the X-bus and eliminated from the competition. In the end one walks away with a cash prize of £100,000.

Each of the 10 episodes sees Rob take the adventurers on another incredible leg of the journey – a fantastical trek that turns Europe into a board game with twists and turns around every corner. Epic challenges offer clues to those smart enough to figure them out, but players – and viewers – beware, there are also some red herrings scattered around.

Who will figure out where in the world they really are? And will the players decide to share information or send each other in the wrong direction? And viewers can join in and play along at home. So can you guess where Destination X is?

Here the Welsh host opens up on why Destination X was such a thrill and unlike anything he had done before…

Can you tell us about the concept of Destination X?

The show sees 13 people travel around Europe on a very special bus. The windows of the bus are opaque for most of the time but can suddenly become clear at the flick of a switch, albeit very briefly. The players have to learn to live with each other and to complete challenges to win clues as to where on earth they are.

At the end of each episode, they all go into a very special ‘map room’ that is hidden away on the bus and they have to place their X on the map trying to guess where they are. Whoever is furthest away from our actual location or Destination X has to leave.

What made you want to be a part of the show?

I’ve never done a TV show on this scale before. I loved the idea of it, the combination of having to work out clues as to where you are and having to get on with each other. It struck me as the best bits of The Traitors with the best bits of Race Across the World.

The other thing that attracted me was the scale of it and being a part of a show as ambitious as this, with as huge a crew and as huge a team. I knew it would be a real challenge to see if I could steer that ship.

We’ve not seen you do anything like this before, and you’re so integral to the show as you’re part of the game. How was that for you?

I was surprised at how invested I became in it; it didn’t take long at all to get really fully invested in it. You get involved with the contestants and you feel for them when they are struggling, and you celebrate with them when they do well. It was a far more involving experience than I was expecting.

It must have been hard for you when you’re in certain situations not to react or give any clues away to the players. How did you find that?

Yes, that really was a challenge, because all the time when we are out and about on our travels, they are trying to keep players in the dark, so they aren’t allowed to see anything but more importantly to hear anything. For example, if a crew member went off to buy a coffee, they had to be careful not to come back with a branded coffee cup that might give away the name of where they were. I remember once we were at a particular location and I knew that in a few days’ time we would be at another location and I said to somebody in the production team: ‘Oh I can’t wait until we get to X’ and then I suddenly realised one of the players was close and I thought ‘Oh no what have you done’ – Luckily, they didn’t hear me!

Tell us about the challenges? Why are they so important?

Well, the challenges give you a chance to get clues so they are vital to the show!

What’s the most gripping thing about the show?

I suppose the most gripping thing is seeing how the players respond to the pressure that they are under and watching players’ relationships develop. I don’t want to give anything away but when they start out, they are very much in a team mentality, they are keen to remind me that they are a team – and then things evolve.

Do you think you’d play the game well? What would your game plan be?

No, I think I would be hopeless at the game, I would not have a clue and would be cruelly exposed as being not too bright at all!

How would you have fared in the bus for over 30 days, disorientated from the world?

I would have struggled hugely with that as well, particularly the lack of sleep. They have nice bunks but nonetheless you’re sleeping on a bus. You lose your privacy; I would have found that very difficult indeed.

What do you think it takes to be a good player in Destination X?

A knowledge of geography can only be a plus, and being a problem solver – a mind that’s good with puzzles. A good knowledge of Europe is the most basic thing and I don’t really have that beyond the places we always go on our holidays in Europe, I think I would have been rather lacking.

What was the most surprising or unexpected moment from filming?

The surprising things were watching the relationships develop between the players. I say in the first episode it’s all about alliances, but then ultimately only one person can win £100,000. So, it was watching the dynamic of the group change over the course of the series in ways that you didn’t see coming.

What was your favourite moment filming?

I suppose, ultimately, seeing the look on the winner’s face was very special because you don’t get to experience that every week. They are playing for £100,000 so whoever wins – I mean, this is a seriously large amount of money so being there and telling that person that they had won, I suppose that’s my biggest takeaway. Other than that, it was getting to see some of the most beautiful parts of Europe.

Find out more about all the Destination X contestants HERE

The first two episodes of Destination X are available to watch on BBC One and iPlayer. There will be two episodes a week, airing at 9pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays.