Press Releases

BBC Northern Ireland is offering viewers the chance to help plan a road trip around Northern Ireland for one of the UK's best known celebrity couples.

In a new six-part series for BBC Northern Ireland, Gary And Danielle's Northern Exposure, former international footballer turned Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker and his fiancée Danielle Bux will be taking to the roads of Northern Ireland for a road trip around a different county each week.

This follows the successful first series which featured husband and wife team Laurence and Jackie Llewelyn-Bowen.

Viewers can help the production team to come up with an itinerary for Gary and Danielle by offering suggestions on a website which launches today.

There's a chance for viewers to suggest things which they think Gary and Danielle will enjoy – and which show off the best of Northern Ireland.

The four categories for suggestions are:

• Do (suggestions for an activity from abseiling to pot-holing, windsurfing to pottery painting)
• Eat (suggestions of where Gary and Danielle should grab breakfast, lunch or dinner)
• Stay (suggestions of where, in each county, they should stay – be it a superb B&B, a luxury hotel, or a tent in the middle of nowhere)
• Visit (suggestions for any special building or a superb tourist attraction – or anything in between)

If viewers' suggestions are considered unique and interesting by the series production team, they may find Gary and Danielle visiting the places they have suggested.

Gary says: "I am really excited about my summer exploring Northern Ireland although Danielle and myself are putting ourselves in the hands of the those who log on to the website to suggest destinations as to where we should go.

"I have spent some time over here in the past but have never been here long enough to uncover the hidden secrets that Northern Ireland has to offer. Fingers crossed we get some nice weather too."

Danielle says: "I have never been over to Belfast before today and am really excited about our summer road trip, it is also the first time Gary and myself have worked together for a substantial amount of time.

"I have seen some of last year's series and it looks like Laurence and Jackie had lots of fun so I'm anticipating seeing lots of beautiful countryside, eating in some delicious restaurants and perhaps having some chaotic adventures."

Simon Miller, Series Producer, explained: "We had an amazing time making last year's series with Laurence and Jackie, and we know that the series really did help people find something different to do during the summer holidays.

"This year we're determined to uncover more great places that you might not have heard of, and Gary and Danielle are both relishing the prospect of spending some quality time here.

"We really need the public's help though – it's not the usual tourist traps that we want Gary and Danielle to discover, it's the hidden gems and that's where the public's suggestions come in – we literally couldn't make it without their help.

"So if you know of someplace a bit off the beaten track that serves a cracking breakfast, or an amazing place to pitch a tent and spend the night, or even a sporty activity that's a bit different, please take two minutes to let us know about it at bbc.co.uk/northernexposure, and Gary and Danielle could end up visiting it this summer."

BBC Northern Ireland Press Office