IT’S BEEN OVER two decades since Hector first brought his unique brand of craic and his appetite for travel to our TV screens. Since his early days of backpacking across Europe in TG4′s Hector Amú, the presenter has visited countless countries and continents.
But this year, for the first time in 20 years, Hector won’t be jetting out of Dublin Airport to visit somewhere new. Instead, he’s staying close by, and embarking on a mission to discover the changing face of Ireland by meeting people from all over the world who have made their home here. Hector – Éire Nua kicks off tonight at 9.30pm on TG4.
Ahead of tonight’s episode, we’re taking a look through some of Hector’s best travel shows to date, all of which you can still watch on the TG4 Player.
And if there’s one thing that Hector’s never minded, it’s a bit of lively debate. So we’re asking you to rate his shows using our brand new series-rating tool, Prataí Lofa (that’s Rotten Spuds for the non-Gaeilgeoirí). Our aim? To create the ultimate ranking of Hector’s adventures.
Let him know if you agree with our score out of ten for each show, and see how your score matches up with other readers’ ratings too. Read on for a journey through Hector’s travel scrapbook, and your chance to rank his best moments so far.
1. Introducing some incredible people who now call Ireland home: Hector – Éire Nua
From Brazil to the Congo, Canada to Ghana and Russia to Syria, over half a million people from other parts of the world now call Ireland their home. What brought them here and how have they found life since arriving?
Hector – Éire Nua starts tonight, Thursday September 30, at 9.30pm on TG4, and will be available via catchup on the TG4 Player.
In episode one, the presenter heads back to his hometown of Navan where he meets radio presenter Yemi Adenuga and her husband Deji, before visiting Iveta Kislina and her family, who moved from Latvia to Mullingar in 2000 for better employment opportunities. Plus, he hears about the parallels between Gaeilge and Yoruba from Ola Majekodunmi, gets schooled in the world of TikTok stardom by Fabu-D, and much more.
Throughout the series, Hector will hear about experiences of direct provision and seeking citizenship, he’ll discover stories of people settling into their new communities, and he’ll chat about the pull and effect that Irish culture has on people the world over. Looking forward to seeing it? We’ve given this one top marks – let us know your rating below.
2. A tour of freezing landscapes and scorching hot deserts: Hector Ó Siberia go Saigon
Time to rewind a few years one to of Hector’s most extreme international adventures, still available to stream via the TG4 Player. Back in 2018, the Navan man wrapped up warmly and headed to the Siberian tundra, travelling over 8,000km across mountains, deserts and rivers. He treks with Siberian huskies, samples the local cuisine in Bangladesh, visits a rehab clinic run by Buddhist monks in Thailand and more. Watch it back on the TG4 Player here. We’ve rated this extreme adventure a healthy 7/10 – now tell us what you think below.
3. The ultimate US road trip: Hector USA – Ó Chósta go Chósta
Hector’s ability to find the craic and chat in almost any situation is clearest in his 2019 road trip adventure through America’s vast Deep South. Travelling east from Georgia through Mississippi, Texas, New Mexico and California, he meets everyone from gospel singers to US Marines to monster truck drivers. Watch it all back on the TG4 Player here. We’ve rated this one 8/10 – Hector gets an extra point for charming a cop out of a speeding ticket in episode one. Tell us what you think below.
4. Markets, motorbikes and the Amazon jungle: Hector Amú in Meiriceá Theas
A true Hector classic. Back in 2002, the presenter headed on one of his first international adventures with TG4, making his way around South and Central America with a TV crew. He samples tequila in Mexico, visits the world’s highest city – the Bolivian capital of La Paz, 3,869m above sea level – and lives like a local in French Guiana. Watch it back on the TG4 Player here. We’ve given this classic Hector series an almost-perfect 9/10. Tell us what you think below.
Discover a brand new set of stories with Hector – Éire Nua, starting tonight, Thursday September 30 at 9.30pm on TG4. Missed it? Catch up via the TG4 Player.
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