Stern & Wild filmmaker shares her pride in helping shape a uniquely touching BAFTA-nominated travelogue

In the run up to this year's BAFTA Television Awards, Dominique Walker discusses her role as Consultant Exec Producer on one of 2024's break-out TV hits, Rob and Rylan's Grand Tour, which is nominated for the award for best factual entertainment programme.

Dominique is a troubleshooting Exec Producer and Consultant for broadcasters and indies across documentary series and entertainment formats. She was a senior creative behind some of the UK’s best known factual series, including the BAFTA-winning series Jamie’s School Dinners, the multi-award-winning feature doc Drowning in Plastic, and The British Tribe Next Door, a factual hit which won the RTS award for best formatted popular factual production. She is a BAFTA and Grierson award winner.

As we wait (just a few more weeks!) to see who takes home the trophies, I’ve been reflecting on the journey behind this one, and that familiar feeling at the start of any new project: a mix of excitement and a good dose of trepidation. 

There’s no such thing as an easy series in telly, and this one came with its fair share of challenges. It all began with a call from Alistair Pegg, Commissioning Editor for Arts at the BBC, asking if I’d help make a new show he’d commissioned. The premise? Rob Rinder and Rylan Clark on a Grand Tour of Italy, retracing the footsteps of Lord Byron.  

I was delighted to be asked, but also wondered how to make our series stand out, given so many recent “celebs abroad” offerings? Tucci had eaten his way around Italy through several series, Gordon, Gino & Fred gallivanted across Tuscany, Jack Whitehall brought his dad, Amanda and Alan renovated a Sicilian dream. So… how would we make this one feel different? 

For starters, it was an Arts commission. That gave us scope to do something more surprising – with Rob and Rylan as our unexpected (but brilliant) presenters. The creative challenge was to connect with BBC Two’s loyal arts audience while also reaching Rylan’s younger fanbase, many of whom may never have tuned in to an arts doc before. 

I was collaborating with Exec Producer Lana Salah (Creative Director at indie Rex TV), who had developed the idea. I knew she shared my passion for making purpose-driven factual entertainment from when we had made Jamie’s School Dinners together many years before. The first, and most important, job: assemble the dream team. Simon Draper came on board as Director, bringing emotional depth and narrative drive. Producer Joe Fell brought encyclopaedic arts knowledge. And Lana, as ever, brought warmth and humour. 

Crucially, we leaned into the queer perspective, viewing the art and architecture of the Italian Renaissance through the eyes of two openly gay men. Suddenly, paintings and sculptures our audience had seen many times before breathed with a new and surprising life. And I was keen also to veer towards our documentary sensibilities by exploring the biographical journeys of our two unlikely presenters.

I viewed the first set of rushes with heart in mouth – you never quite know exactly what you’re gonna get! But this time I knew we had something special: funny, inventive but most importantly it was moving. The emotional connection between Rob and Rylan and their courageous sharing of some of their most intimate life challenges gave the series its distinct tone and heart. 

Whatever happens at the BAFTAs – we already feel like winners. 

This year's BAFTA Television Awards will take place on Sunday 11 May at the Southbank Centre's Royal Festival Hall. For a full list of the nominations, click here.

Rylan Clark (left) and Rob Rinder visit Venice as part of their “Grand Tour”. Image: BBC.