BBC2 rides Boundless Indian Railway

Michael Portillo in Great Indian Railway Journeys

BBC2 in the UK has commissioned Great Indian Railway Journeys from UK production outfit Boundless.

The 4×60′ show will air this autumn and explores the Indian railway system, featuring journeys such as Amritsar to Shimla, Lucknow to Kolkata and Jodhpur to Delhi.

It has been commissioned by Patrick Holland, controller of BBC2, and Alex McLeod, BBC commissioning editor for daytime and peak.

The series follows the success of FremantleMedia-backed Boundless’s trio Great British Railway Journeys, Great Continental Railway Journeys and Great American Railroad Journeys. All three are presented by former politician Michael Portillo, who also fronts this latest iteration.

The ninth season of Great British Railway Journeys (15×30′) and a third of Great American Railroad Journeys (20×30′) are currently in production.

In related news, BBC Studios, Wingspan Productions and Windfall Films have secured production rights to BBC science strand Horizon.

BBC Studios, the UK pubcaster’s fledgling commercial production arm, will produce 16 films over the next two years while Wingspan Productions and Windfall Films will each produce three.

The show will continue to focus on subjects including engineering, technology, medicine, geology and physics.

BBC Studios’ Science Unit has been behind series such as Forces of Nature, Stargazing Live and Trust Me, I’m a Doctor and was launched following the creation of BBC Studios last year.

Wingspan Productions’ credits include The Joy of Data, while Windfall Films, part of Argonon Group, has been behind shows such as The Fifteen Billion Pound Railway for BBC2.

As part of the Charter agreement secured last year, BBC Studios can make programmes for other broadcasters and customers. In return, the pubcaster relaxed its own in-house production guarantees.