Last updated 09:21, Saturday, 12 July 2008

Fans of Francesco da Mosto would follow him anywhere – on a gondola along the canals of his native Venezia, on a camel through the Sahara, on a slow train to Brampton Junction.

Francesco da Mosto: Makes Anne’s legs go wobbly

To be fair, his is largely a female audience and it kind of goes without saying that those ladies will have no problems at all following the Venetian aristocrat, architect, art historian and film-maker on his latest journey, sailing the Mediterranean from Venice to Istanbul, on a romantic voyage following the ancient merchant trading routes of his ancestors.

Francesco’s Mediterranean Voyage (BBC2) set sail on Tuesday and Wednesday for a 10-part dreamy, sunshine cruise around some of the Med’s most glorious locations. With the twinkly-captain eyed Captain Giulio skippering the elegant schooner Black Swan, Francesco has embarked on a voyage of discovery first followed by his 15th century ancestor Alvise da Mosto – who inspired Christopher Colombus – to explore Croatia, Greece and Turkey.

Francesco has become a familiar and much loved travelogue guide over recent years, having led us through the proud and colourful history of Venice and driven the length of Italy in his Alfa Romeo Spider. Quite a find for the BBC. But they can’t take all the credit for discovery of their hit presenter – he was apparently recommended strongly for export by his formidable southern Italian mother.

Only two half-hour episodes into his epic three-month expedition, the charismatic Francesco is already giving lots of landlubbing ladies wobbly sea-legs. One national reviewer was so carried away by his charms, she insisted he had: “An accent that could make you pregnant by the end of the programme.”

A wee bit over the top perhaps – but we all know where she’s coming from.

On Tuesday Francesco da Mosto bid his long, sentimental farewell to home city and weepy family, having packed a journal, boxes of biscuits and apparently only two shirts.

Ridding himself of a green T-shirt (green being bad luck on a boat, according to the leg-pulling captain), da Mosto switched into a dark blue alternative which – if accompanying BBC book is any guide – he never has off his back!

But that’s OK. Some guys could wear a bin liner and flat cap and still we girls would gush... know what I mean?