Routes

LNER
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Season 3 of Routes is coming this summer - join Jenni Falconer and some well-known faces and explore what travel means to them. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to listen to now with guests including Mel B, Sam Heughan, James Martin, Self Esteem, Stephen Mangan, Craig David, Suzi Ruffell, Tom Grennan and many more! From wild adventures to chill getaways, join Jenni for laid-back, meaningful and humorous conversations. We’ll save you a seat!

  1. The Quiet Coach: Hot Air Balloons, Travel Mishaps and New Beginnings with Matty Lee

    7 Apr

    The Quiet Coach: Hot Air Balloons, Travel Mishaps and New Beginnings with Matty Lee

    From sunrise hot air balloons over Marrakesh to leaving his Nintendo behind on his very first family holiday, Olympic gold medallist Matty Lee joins Jenni Falconer on The Quiet Coach to share stories from a life shaped by travel, competition and big moments. In this episode of Routes from LNER, Matty reflects on how travel has changed since retiring from diving, from fast-paced trips across Thailand to slower, more relaxed journeys closer to home. He shares what it’s like seeing the world without the pressure of competition, and why some of his most memorable experiences come from the simplest moments, like a peaceful sunrise high above the Atlas Mountains. The conversation also explores the realities of elite sport, including the mental side of competing, the nerves that come with performing on the world stage, and how those experiences helped shape his path to Olympic gold. Along the way, Matty opens up about family, early travel memories, and the moments that stuck with him long after the medals. Plus, in the “Snacks, Tracks & Hacks” segment, he reveals his go-to train snacks, why podcasts help journeys fly by, and the travel essentials he now swears by. From rolling clothes to noise-cancelling headphones and a game-changing eye mask. Relaxed, honest and full of personality, this is a warm conversation about slowing down, looking back, and finding a new rhythm after sport.

    19 min
  2. Matty Lee: Olympic Gold, World Travels and Life After Diving

    31 Mar

    Matty Lee: Olympic Gold, World Travels and Life After Diving

    Olympic gold medallist diver Matty Lee joins Jenny Falconer on this episode of Routes from LNER, reflecting on a life that’s taken him from local swimming pools in Leeds to the very top of the Olympic podium. Matty shares the journey from discovering diving as a kid, following in his brother’s footsteps, to competing on the world stage alongside athletes he once idolised. He opens up about the realities behind elite sport, from intense competition nerves and working with sports psychologists to the discipline required to perform under pressure, and the moment he realised it was time to step away from the sport at just 26. The conversation also dives into life beyond diving: adjusting to retirement, rediscovering a love for travel, and swapping global competitions for quieter UK getaways. From team trips across the world and missed flight upgrades after Tokyo, to wholesome countryside escapes, Matty reflects on what travel means to him now. Plus, he shares stories of receiving his medal from the King, the one moment he regrets not saying hello on a train, and why sometimes doing nothing at all is exactly what you need.

    46 min
  3. The Quiet Coach: Private Islands, Shark Sightings, and Sushi on Trains with Jack Savoretti

    24 Mar

    The Quiet Coach: Private Islands, Shark Sightings, and Sushi on Trains with Jack Savoretti

    From spending younger years on a remote island in the Bahamas to sneaking sushi onto trains, Jack Savoretti joins Jenni Falconer on The Quiet Coach to share a vivid, funny and unexpectedly reflective look at life on the move. In this episode of Routes from LNER, Jack opens up about his earliest travel memories, including months spent living off-grid with no electricity, crossing moonlit waters by boat, and encountering everything from dolphins to sharks in the sea. The conversation explores how those formative experiences shaped his love of travel, and why the Bahamas still holds a special, almost mythical place in his life. Jack reflects on how travel has changed over time, the rising cost of returning to meaningful places, and the desire to share those memories with his own children. They also dive into the show’s “Snacks, Tracks & Hacks” segment, where Jack reveals his go-to travel ritual (thanks to his daughter), the one album he always returns to on a train journey, and an unusual tip involving crystallised eucalyptus that he swears by for staying well on the road. Warm, nostalgic and full of rich storytelling, this is a relaxed conversation about adventure, perspective, and finding calm. Whether you’re on a train, on an island, or back where it all began.

    13 min
  4. Jack Savoretti: Italian Roots, Tour Tales and the Royal Albert Hall

    17 Mar

    Jack Savoretti: Italian Roots, Tour Tales and the Royal Albert Hall

    From interrailing across Europe with a gang of friends as a teen, to celebrating twenty years in music at the Royal Albert Hall, Jack Savoretti’s life has been shaped by movement, culture and connection. In this episode of Routes from LNER, the singer-songwriter joins Jenni to talk about the journeys that influenced him, his love of train travel, and why Newcastle will always hold a special place in his heart. Jack reflects on growing up between cultures, with an Italian father, an English mother, and childhood years spent at an international school in Switzerland surrounded by classmates from every corner of the world. He shares stories of weekend escapes to Florence and Venice as a teenager, the chaos of 90’s interrailing trips where plans fell apart and friends disappeared along the way, and how those early adventures sparked a lifelong love of trains and travelling without a fixed destination. There’s also plenty of talk about family life on the road, from cooking competitive batches of homemade pesto with his kids to the emotional experience of taking his daughter on her first trip abroad. Jack opens up about reconnecting with his Italian roots while making music, how travel feeds his songwriting, and why cities like Athens and Marrakech continue to inspire him. Expect stories about slipping on stage, furniture hunting in tour cities, Italian superstitions, and the simple magic of seeing the world pass by from a train window.

    43 min
  5. The Quiet Coach: Japan Stories, Lost Cuddly Toys and Language Barriers with James Haskell

    10 Mar

    The Quiet Coach: Japan Stories, Lost Cuddly Toys and Language Barriers with James Haskell

    Host Jenni Falconer welcomes former England rugby international turned DJ James Haskell aboard the Quiet Coach in this episode of Routes from LNER. From the unwritten rules of the quiet carriage to the realities of life spent travelling the world for rugby, James shares stories from the road and reflects on the experiences that have shaped him beyond the pitch. The conversation explores James’s time living abroad, including his stint in Japan and the culture shocks that come with adapting to a completely different language and way of life. He and Jenni discuss how travel can broaden your perspective, the places that leave a lasting impression, and how looking back on old memories can sometimes feel like revisiting someone else’s life. They also dive into the show’s “Snacks, Tracks & Hacks” segment, where James reveals his go-to travel snacks, what he listens to on long journeys, and the little tips that make travelling easier. Along the way, Jenni shares a hilarious parenting travel story about a missing cuddly toy that turned into a full-scale family mission to replace it.

    15 min
  6. James Haskell: Pro Rugby, Ibiza DJ Sets & Dad Life

    3 Mar

    James Haskell: Pro Rugby, Ibiza DJ Sets & Dad Life

    What happens when a 6ft4 former England rugby star swaps the pitch for the DJ booth and somehow ends up sharing a bath with Madonna? On this episode of Routes from LNER, James Haskell joins Jenni Falconer for a brilliantly unpredictable journey to Edinburgh, packed with sharp humour and seriously good stories. James looks back at life playing international rugby, his years living in France near the Champs-Élysées, and the cultural curveballs that come with competing around the world. He shares what touring Scotland really feels like as an England player, why travel gives him rare moments of quiet, and how the Australian jungle tested him during I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2019. Now an international DJ and heading into a new chapter on Celebs Go Dating, James talks about life after elite sport, performing to thousands, fatherhood, and building a second career in the public eye. Funny, frank and consistently surprising, this is a conversation that goes far beyond rugby, and proves reinvention can be just as competitive as the game itself.

    46 min
  7. The Quiet Coach: Taking Risks, Finding Television, and Never Growing Up with Leigh Francis

    24 Feb

    The Quiet Coach: Taking Risks, Finding Television, and Never Growing Up with Leigh Francis

    From secretly filming sketches in the art department to turning up at TV meetings in full character, this week’s Quiet Coach guest has never taken the conventional route. In this episode of Routes from LNER, Jenni Falconer sits down with comedian, actor, artist and podcaster Leigh Francis for a funny, chaotic and surprisingly honest chat about creativity, confidence and carving out a career by backing yourself, even when no one else quite understands what you’re doing. From missing out on art college to becoming a senior graphic designer drawing crocodiles on demand, Leigh shares how eight years of graft (and a lot of dressing up) led to his big break. There are brilliant behind-the-scenes stories about inventing his characters, where Leigh speaks about living by the motto “Don’t grow up, it’s a trap,” why he still spends his downtime sewing, sculpting and building green-screen studios in his loft, and how proud he feels bringing wife Jill into the spotlight on their podcast, Unlikely Friends. It’s a candid look at ego, insecurity, hard work and the joy of still loving what you do. Plus, as always, we get into snacks, tracks and hacks, including five-pound Mini Gems from WHSmith, accidental double breakfasts in first class, a loft full of abandoned travel pillows, and the unforgettable moment he forgot his ESTA and ended up flying to Florida with nothing but a backpack. Warm, self-deprecating and packed with laugh-out-loud moments, this is a relaxed and revealing conversation about staying playful, taking risks, and never quite doing things the normal way.

    22 min
  8. Leigh Francis: Leeds Beginnings, Comedy Chaos & Keith Lemon

    17 Feb

    Leigh Francis: Leeds Beginnings, Comedy Chaos & Keith Lemon

    From Leeds beginnings and Bridlington beach trips to Halloween weddings and first overseas adventures, Leigh Francis’s life off-screen is as colourful as the characters he’s created. In this episode of Routes, Leigh joins Jenni to talk about growing up in Yorkshire, the chaotic comedy worlds of Celebrity Juice and Bo’ Selecta, and how his childhood shaped his sense of humour. He reflects on early travel experiences, static caravan holidays, and his first drunken friend holiday abroad, which set the tone for a lifetime of hilarious misadventures. Leigh shares stories that are equal parts funny and heartfelt, from carrying a life-size Howard the Duck on the train to visiting his favourite locations from Back to the Future, and the time he met Pharrell while wearing the same hat. He talks about family road trips through Whitby, the joy of Comic‑Con cosplay, and the creative process behind iconic characters like Keith Lemon. Along the way, there’s laughter, nostalgia, and genuine insight into the experiences that fuel his comedy. He also opens up about life on the road, being recognised (or not!) around the world, and the special journeys he’s shared with his wife and kids. Whether it’s memories of seaside arcades, discovering the magic of Disney on honeymoon, or everyday family life, this episode is a silly, personal, and unfiltered look at the laughs, travel tales, and roots that have made Leigh who he is.

    35 min
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About

Season 3 of Routes is coming this summer - join Jenni Falconer and some well-known faces and explore what travel means to them. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to listen to now with guests including Mel B, Sam Heughan, James Martin, Self Esteem, Stephen Mangan, Craig David, Suzi Ruffell, Tom Grennan and many more! From wild adventures to chill getaways, join Jenni for laid-back, meaningful and humorous conversations. We’ll save you a seat!

Information

  • Creator
    LNER
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    51
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 LNER
  • Show Website
    Routes

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