Ethiopia

For years all that most people in Britain have heard about Ethiopia is famine. And drought. And Bob Geldof singing about famine and drought. Now comedian Romesh Ranganathan is heading to East Africa to discover if this reputation is justified. Is Ethiopia really a food-starved dust bowl? Or will Romesh find a warm welcome and place of unique natural beauty there?

Met by local anthropologist Mike Tamerat, Romesh heads on a journey across this vast country, visiting ancient rock churches, scientific oddities, Rastafarians and camels to get a unique insider's guide. Along the way he experiences local wellness treatments that he worries will damage his reproductive capacity, an eye cleansing doctor and traditional rhyming jazz musicians who have a lot of fun insulting him in front of an audience.

But as he tries to get to grips with the country, he also encounters a side to Ethiopia that makes him question its undoubted beauty and fun - an oppressive political regime that has resulted in decades of turmoil and a country that stands on the brink of change. Bob Geldof wanted to feed the world and asked if they know it's Christmas time. Ethiopians do know it is Christmas time - they have one of the largest Christian populations in the world. But will he find any food? And beyond his stomach, will he find anything worth traveling there for?