Barney Walsh drags his dad The Chase Host Bradley Walsh across America on the road trip of a lifetime in Breaking Dad. Photo / Supplied
Barney Walsh drags his dad The Chase Host Bradley Walsh across America on the road trip of a lifetime in Breaking Dad. Photo / Supplied
The Chase host Bradley Walsh and his son Barney are hitting screens - and the road - as a father-son duo in new comedy travel show Breaking Dad.
Barney Walsh, 22, is an actor and the son of the popular game show host. He tells the Herald that, for years,he's been trying to get his famous dad to travel.
He spoke with a friend who commissions shows for the British network ITV about dragging his dad on a road trip across the US, and Breaking Dad was born.
Walsh says he never expected the show to get so popular - when it first screened on ITV it averaged five million viewers per episode.
"It's really overwhelming and really exciting. It's not just an opportunity for us to entertain and make people laugh but to encourage parents and kids to bond with each other. I've had so many messages from people who've said the show has inspired them to reconnect with their family.
"Someone sent me a message saying they hadn't spoken to their dad in years and that the show inspired them to get back in touch."
The father and son duo have always been best mates and comedy seems to run in the family. Walsh says making the show has been "a barrel of laughs".
Weightlifting and skydiving are just a couple of the activities on the itinerary for the father-and-son pair. Photo / Supplied
"He's a really funny guy," Walsh says of his father. "We've gotten to understand each other's opinions in different situations. It's helped us learn and grow and see how much in common we do have.
"Dad's stuck in his ways but when you coax him into taking these opportunities he does enjoy it."
It's definitely a different side of Bradley Walsh than the one we're used to seeing on The Chase.
"That's his professional side, you get to see another side of him on this show. It's completely different on Breaking Dad - it's this free flowing form of TV, which is great," Walsh says.
He says the father-son travel show has had a "massive" impact on him.
"Seeing how it's caused people to bond with their families is incredible.
"I'm really grateful to be a part of something life-changing. You've got to love and spend time with your family cause they won't be around forever."
Two seasons in, Walsh says they'd love to make more in the series.
"Maybe we'll go back to America for season three but I'd love to take Dad somewhere that's out of his comfort zone culturally - I think Japan would be great."
The 22-year-old actor says he's been busy working and training a new 13-week-old puppy amid the lockdown in the UK.
"I've been trying to keep busy during lockdown, it's a crazy time. I've got some exciting things to look forward to."
Walsh hopes Kiwis will tune in to the show. The first episode aired on Monday April 20 on TVNZ 1 and is now available on TVNZ On Demand.
"It's loads of fun and there's loads of tense moments and I hope people really enjoy it."
