Episode 6: Part 1: How we got the best job in the world
January 29, 2026
Thought you knew Ian and Justine? Think again. In this episode, our dynamic duo reveal all - about themselves and the unlikely journeys that led them to hosting one of the most amazing travel shows ever. Their story is full of highs, lows and bizarre sliding door moments. And the best thing about it is, it’s all true.
In this episode we take you back to 1994 where Pilot Films in London is launching a ground-breaking new travel series, and thousands of hopefuls are mailing in their audition tapes. Buried in the towering stack of VHS cassettes are Ian and Justine's audition tapes. Learn why Ian and Justine were chosen. Would you have chosen them? Watch their audition tapes and decide for yourself.
Chapters
00:00 - Intro
02:40 - Stop ’N’ Shop and James Spader
04:36 - Justine’s early years: “I had a sense there was this world”
07:54 - The Road to Globe Trekker goes through France
10:26 - Hollywood: nose job?
12:56 - Trusting the “I Don’t Know”
16:10 - “I have a friend, Ian Cross...”
20:30 - Justine’s Audition Tape
25:15 - “Wanna go to ‘Nam?”
33:24 - Ian’s early years: “I’ve always been a monkey”
38:37 - Art school
40:19 - Sliding Doors: Operation Raleigh
42:03 - Sliding Doors: Hoxton Hall
46:07 - Ian’s Audition Tape
51:37 - The REAL reason Ian got the job
56:33 - “I’m gonna spend four weeks in Brazil!?”
58:22 - “Wind ‘im up, and send ‘im off, mate!”
01:01:10 - Help us make Season 2!
Listen on your favorite platform
Episode Cast & Crew
Hosts: Ian Wright and Justine Shapiro
Producer: Stephen Lennhoff
Editor: Gregory Scharpen
Sound Mix: Dan Olmsted at IMRSV Sound
Kuku Studios, Berkeley, California USA
Haverhill Music Hub, Haverhill UK
Major Funding
Season 1 was made possible thanks to a grant from The Khosravi Family Trust and donors like you.
Our Loonies
Mrugesh Thaker
Joseph Tindle
Prateek Shrivastava
Rajeev
Mike Matera
John Miles
Nikhil Patel
Saurabh Chaudhary
Craig Richardson
Bhavika Gadhvi
Joe Guzman
Heather Munro
Robert Paul
Ignacio Gil
Abigail
Richard Logan
Era Orozco
James Wheaton
Melanie Rudzinski
Cliff Matheson
José Pizarro-Otero
Rob Furber
Season 1 Credits
With gratitude to those from Pilot Films and Television, UK who helped create Our Looney Planet
Ian Cross, founder of Pilot Productions and creator of the Lonely Planet / Globe Trekker TV series.
Deb Marrow Cox
Anne Bogart
Sarah Blinco
Sanyukta Shrestha
Helen Roberts
Richard Howard
Chris Hampson
Amanda Kramer
Ian Ritchie
Neville Farmer
Megan McCormick
Emma Cahusac
Angela Gourley
Rachael Heaton-Armstrong
Andy Margetson
Lucy Cooke
Bini Adams
David Tibballs
Saami Sabiti
Nick Robbins
Nigel Kinnings
Lynn Mitchell
Georgie Burrell
Neil Harvey
Simon Niblett
Ian sciacaluga
Rik Lander
Peter Boyd Maclean
Tim Knight
With gratitude
Rachel Mercy Simpson, Berkeley Community College
Interns: Seungjun Kim, Martin Mercy, Matan Ziv, Manny Cox
Betsy Rate, UC Berkeley School of Journalism
Interns: Negar Ajayebi, Alicia Chang, Zane Karram and Fuwad Ahamad
Rob Burchell, The Hall Media Facilities, UK
Honorbarre.com
Cardiowithcarah.com
The Center for Creative Exploration
Jeanette McDonald-Wright
Rie Aldous
Jackie Shroff
Tony & Chesney Mumford
Marvin and Mr. Monk
Paul Mourey & Karim Crippa
David Orelowitz & Lauren Heymann
Vicente Franco
Jim Capobianco
Lucy Kaplan
Mateo Evaristo Shapiro Bolado
y Carlos Bolado
Tony Cataldo
Carah Herring
Année Kim
Stephanie Mackley
Marcia and Paul Masse
Paul Zaentz
Chaz Blanc
Michael Wilson
Mick Erausquin
Elizabeth Gray
Catherine Girardeau
Jason Reinier
Roopa Ramamoorthi
Laura O'Brien Crisp
Guy Reingold
Esme Agilar
Sonia Mistry
Sherry Sly
Claudia Erzinger
With Gratitude To Those We’ve Lost
Jonathan Leffman, Sound Recordist
Stephen Luscombe, Composer
Paul Pierre Standifer, Fixer/Producer
Leslie Weiner, Producer
Roger Whitby, Sound Recordist
Nick Corey Wright, Director
Anthony Bourdain
For MATLANA
Executive Producer: Justine Shapiro
Series Producer & Director of Social Media & Community: Liliana Cortés
Senior Editor & Producer: Gregory Scharpen
Director & Producer: Stephen Lennhoff
Director of Audience Strategy & Partnerships: Bri Castellini
Editor: Thomas Lorne
Title Animation - Zazie Capobianco, Aerial Contrivance Workshop
Website and Media Management: Sage Brucia
Bookkeeper: Craig Paull
Legal: Richard J. Lee Law Group and Madison Karsenty, DCP Law
Our Looney Planet is produced by MATLANA a 501(c)3 organization
MATLANA Board Members
Deirdre English
Jocelyn Leroux
Jena Resner
Justine Shapiro