Simon Reeve: ‘The Caribbean has incredible history’

The presenter reveals that, while filming in Honduras, he visited the scene of a murder of two policemen, a memory that has haunted him since. 

“We were in San Pedro Sula, the most violent city in the world outside of a war zone. Two local cops were driving home from work when they were sprayed with bullets. That was pretty shocking,” he says.

“There were just a few other people with cameras there, but it wasn’t really national news in Honduras because it’s something that’s happening regularly. Part of this series is about trying to understand why countries like this are being ravaged by violence.”

Simon begins his journey in episode one on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, travelling from the Dominican Republic with its idyllic scenery to Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere, before reaching Puerto Rico, an island on the cusp of becoming America’s 51st State.

In episode two, he journeys on to Barbados, one of the wealthiest islands in the Caribbean and a playground for the rich and famous, to learn how the influx of tourists is forcing locals off Barbados’ most desirable beaches. 

Asked what his personal highlight was from filming and Simon recalls the heart-stopping moment he took off in a flying boat.

“Right at the start of the series, in the Dominican Republic, I took a ride in a flying-dinghy. We raced across the water and then soared into the sky, circling a beautiful beach and the stunning Caribbean Sea. That was an experience to treasure.”

Simon, who is also a best-selling author of books on international terrorism, modern history and travel, has undertaken a whole host of extraordinary journeys and challenges in the course of his career, including travelling around the world three times for the BBC series Equator.

“I’m learning and discovering new things every single day we’re on the road; that’s one of the many things I love about travelling and about my job,” he smiles.

Caribbean, NEXT Sunday, BBC2