Rob Brydon is lending his talents to reality TV as the host of the BBC’s new competition show, Destination X, which sees a group of contestants compete for the chance to win a £100,000 cash prize as they set off on a mysterious road trip around Europe.
The BAFTA-nominated star, who was born in Glamorgan, Wales, has been a regular fixture on our screens for years, thanks to his presenting gig on Would I Lie to You, and acting roles in Gavin and Stacey, The Trip and more recently My Lady Jane and Barbie.
I’ve been a huge fan of Rob since watching him play the iconic Uncle Bryn in Gavin and Stacey, and while he’s certainly proved himself to be one of the UK’s best comedy actors, he’s also a skilled presenter and regularly demonstrates his natural wit and charm on Would I Like to You and his podcast, Brydon &, which he’ll undoubtedly bring to Destination X.
But before you get stuck into the new series, find out all we know about Rob’s life off-screen.
Rob’s family life
Rob, 60, is married to Claire Holland, a former producer of the ITV magazine series, South Bank Show. The couple, who have been married since 2006 and share two sons, reportedly live in Richmond upon Thames.
© ShutterstockRob was previously married to Martina Fitchie from 1992 to 2000. The former couple met in a pub in Cardiff when Rob was working at BBC Wales with Martina’s sister, who was a producer. The pair share two daughters and a son.
Rob’s comments on his divorce
Opening up about his divorce during a 2017 interview with The Times, Rob said: “I’d love to know what could be more traumatic than that. It doesn’t change what it was. You learn to live with it, but you don’t say, ‘I broke my leg on the ski slope, and while I was waiting for them to come, it wasn’t the most painful thing.’ The pain is still the same.”
In a separate interview published the following year, Rob described his marriage breakdown as “a very upsetting and turbulent time”.
Rob’s comments on parenthood
Speaking about the difference in age between his five children, Rob told The Times in a recent interview: “I have quite the age range, 30 down to 14. I’m desperate for a lie-in.”
Sharing an insight into his children’s lives, Rob continued: “They all do different things. My eldest is in casting, then chef, teacher, still at school, still at school.”
© Getty ImagesOn how parenthood has changed his attitude towards his career, Rob said that “having kids gives you perspective”, adding that before having a family, he would have “loved” to have gone to the US and would have jumped at the opportunities he gets offered now.
“But now it’s simply not practical, because I like my family,” he continued. “I think maybe if you’re in an unhappy marriage, you jump at the opportunity to travel.”
What is Destination X about?
Rob is the host of the BBC’s new show, Destination X, in which he takes a group of 13 contestants on board a bus around Europe. With the windows blacked out, all they have to do is guess where in the world they are and place an X on a map at the end of each episode.
© BBC/TwoFourThe synopsis continues: “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.”
Destination X airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Wednesday, 30 July at 9pm.
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