BBC Studios has launched Scran & Scramble: An American in Scotland, a creator-led travel series featuring Kobie Jordan and Bryan Millar Walker, on its The Travel Edit YouTube channel.
The title, first revealed in September, debuted on October 23. The five-part series pairs American creator Jordan with Scottish guide and creator Walker for a road trip exploring the country beyond the images familiar from film and television.
Produced by Aurora Media Worldwide, part of Banijay Entertainment, the 5 x 22-minute series was commissioned and developed by Chris Ambrose for BBC Studios Digital Brands. New episodes will be released weekly on Saturdays.
The format draws on the contrasting perspectives of its hosts, testing Jordan’s screen-shaped expectations of Scotland against Walker’s local knowledge. Their itinerary includes a kilt-fitting in Edinburgh, a stay in a haunted hotel, an ascent of Ben Nevis and a night in a remote bothy.
Other stops include an island animal sanctuary and Mangersta Beach, where Jordan takes a cold-water dip. The pair also prepare langoustines with Italian expats, sample haggis, try fly fishing and curling, and explore local music and castles.
Dominique Cutts, chief content officer at Aurora Media Worldwide, said: “Kobie and Bryan each brought their own distinctive identities from their own channels, and combining them together for this series gives it a really unique feel. Both experienced creators, they were also keen to learn how to story-tell in a different way – it made for a genuinely collaborative creative experience.”
Jordan said the production had given him experience of a different approach to travel content: “I learned so much both on and off camera, from the ins and outs of producing a travel documentary to discovering firsthand why the people in Scotland are so famously friendly.”
Walker added: “I remember signing up to this project thinking It would be another great tour, showing off my country and the places I love, and I’d have some pros filming it for me. What I ended up getting was a lesson in curiosity, a masterclass in storytelling, and a whole bunch of laughs from some fantastic humans. And I had some pros filming it all for me.”
The Travel Edit is BBC Studios Digital Brands’ channel for travel, adventure and food stories from around the world.
Jasmine Dawson, SVP Digital at BBC Studios, said: “With Scran & Scramble, we’re bringing together distinctive creator voices and beautiful travel storytelling to give audiences a fresh way to explore Scotland. It reflects our ambition for The Travel Edit: to make programmes that inspire people to discover new places and bring them back for the personalities taking them there.”
