Famous personalities are spearheading a campaign by Southeastern to encourage people to ‘Hop on board’ a train to Kent and East Sussex and explore some of the South East’s hidden gems.

In a series of podcasts hosted by foodie Gregg Wallace, comedian Ed Byrne, and historian Mary Beard, they have teamed up with Southeastern to explain how easy it is to travel around the area by train, learn more about the region, and interview local experts.

Kent resident Gregg Wallace hosts the first episode and travels on a mouth-watering journey through the county while telling listeners ‘wherever you go, eat where the locals go’. At the Shepherd Neame brewery he meets their Master Brewer and pulls a pint, then savours some local oysters in Whitstable. During an interview with Jonathan Piggins, the co-founder of English wine specialists Corkk, Gregg finds out that Kent benefits from the same soil and weather as the Champagne region in France.

In another episode, comedian Ed Byrne chats and walks with interesting people he meets as he discovers some of Kent’s best countryside walks and coastal paths. After catching a train to the beautiful village of Wye, he goes for a dog walk and talks with the owners of the noted Kent pooch social media stars, Puggy and Yum Yum Smalls.

In the third episode, noted historian Mary Beard visits Royal Tunbridge Wells, the South East’s only spa town, then travels by train to Hastings where she explores its rich maritime history before ending up on the ramparts of Battle Abbey in East Sussex.

To find out further information about the podcasts and to download the first three episodes, go to www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/hoponboard. Three more episodes of ‘Hop on board’ will be released in the spring.

Nikki Causer, Head of Marketing at Southeastern, said: “The popularity of podcasts continues to grow, and we wanted to find a way to give listeners a unique view of the best that Kent and East Sussex have to offer. We decided that using celebrities was a great way to inspire and engage with listeners. Each episode transports the listener on a whistle-stop tour of the fantastic places that can be discovered by hopping on board a Southeastern train.”

“There is much delicious locally produced food and drink across the region; we wanted Gregg to tell listeners how to find the best. And visiting Kent’s wonderful vineyards by train means you can sample some of the delicious product without having to worry about driving.”