Channel 4 to Air Venice Simplon-Orient-Express Doc

LONDON: Channel 4 has commissioned a one-off exclusive documentary about the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express. 

Titled The World’s Most Famous Train, the hour-long documentary will examine the importance of the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express in a time when conventional travel is dwindling. The special investigates why passengers still take the 36-hour journey across Europe in a world of budget airlines and short flights. The train is comprised of 17 unique 1920s carriage cars and is billed as the ultimate luxury experience. The documentary is produced by Rize USA, a DCD Media company.

Channel 4 Commissioner Lucy Leveugle said: “The World’s Most Famous Train is a privileged look at an iconic travel institution. While luxuriating in the historical detail and with fantastic access to customers and staff, the film will also allow us to examine how it can fare in the modern day when time is money.”

Sheldon Lazarus, the creative director of Rize USA, commented: “The VSOE is iconic for its luxury, its extravagance, and we’ll see plenty of it in the 60 minutes. Putting extravagance aside, the documentary will give viewers a behind-the-scenes insight into all that it takes to keep the world’s most famous train on track.”

He added: “Coming off the back of several other high-profile subjects, such as the Billion Pound Hotel, and two series of Liberty of London, this is another fresh and exciting commission for Rize USA, and we are thrilled to be making this for Channel 4.”