BBC World News presents new series of The Real...

This September, BBC World News broadcasts a new series of the successful travelogue, The Real..., a weekly five-part series taking viewers on a tour to find the hidden gems and favorite spots of Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong, Beirut, Rome and Washington DC.

With the guidance of three celebrated local personalities, viewers can expect a tour of each city, which sidesteps the usual tourist itineraries in favor of unique, quirky sights, which only locals could possibly reveal.

Rio de Janeiro– broadcast from Saturday 19 September

The first tour guide in the Brazilian city is Thalma de Freitas, an award-winning actress, singer and song writer. Thalma is joined in the programme by environmentalist Guido Gelli, director of environment and technology at the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden and musician Ricardo Imperatore.Sites revealed by the trio include a vintage clothes shop, a cabaret club and a house belonging to a Brazilian architect.

Hong Kong– broadcast from Saturday 26 September
DJ and actor Sammy Leung, orchestra conductor Yip Wing-sie and Model Sarika Choy are the guides to this vibrant city. They reveal their favourite haunts including an island renowned for its seafood, a reflexology centre and Sammy tries his hand at the exciting sport of wakeboarding.

Beirut– broadcast from Saturday 3 October

Highlights revealed in this episode focusing on Beirut include a horse-racing facility in the city, as shown by artist and writer Nadine Touma, an antiques market favoured by DJ and party promoter Djette, and a traditional Lebanese sandwich shop frequented by comedian and actor Mario Bassil.

Rome– broadcast from Saturday 10 October

Film director, producer and writer, Giacomo Martelli begins the tour of Italy’s capital city with a work-out at a gritty boxing gym, seated within ancient gladiatorial training facilities. Next Patrizia Viola, newsreader and correspondent, showcases her favourite restaurant, Restaurante Pallotta, which has been run by the same family since 1820. Finally, artist and illustrator Mojmir Jezek buys some supplies from an art shop and tests them out by sketching near the Pantheon.

Washington DC- broadcast from Saturday 17 October

Washington’s contributors are journalist and author, Ana Marie Cox, musician and founder of Go-Go, Chuck Brown, and model and writer, Kate Michael. Ana Marie has her portrait taken by a highly regarded photojournalist, while Chuck gets fitted for a suit and Kate brunches with drag queens performing around the tables.

The five programs will also be supported with dedicated pages on bbc.com that feature video clips and information on each of the cities from the new and previous series. The Real… branded widget will feature on the bbc.com homepage, for the duration of the show’s transmission, taking audiences directly to the online content.

--SAMPURN