Matthews Goode and Rhys to host new wine show for ITV

LONDON, March 5 (UPI) -- Downton Abbey alum Matthew Goode and The Americans star Matthew Rhys are to host a 13-episode program called The Wine Show, ITV announced.

The British broadcaster said in a press release the series will "take viewers on a fresh, informative and entertaining journey into wine."

"As enthusiastic novices, they look at the kinds of wine we all enjoy every day with our dinner, as well as some of the world's most famous labels."

Joining the actors on their expedition to 12 countries on six continents are the show's expert wine contributors Joe Fattorini and Amelia Singer.

"My late father elicited my interest in wine, bless him, and it has become a life-long love affair!" Goode said in a statement. "Matthew Rhys and I had so much fun pootling around Italy garnering more and more information on this sensational liquid ... Actually, the word 'fun' doesn't even really come close. We are all very proud of the show; it's funny, moving, informative, and Matthew Rhys runs Father Christmas very close on the world's greatest beard. Mostly though, the series is about wine through and through, and there's not an ounce of snobbishness, thank goodness."

"I'd never tasted wine before this show; my father always locked it in a cupboard marked 'Illicit,'" added Rhys. "As a new fan of wine, I couldn't endorse it more, it makes any situation fun, although I still have no idea how it's made. This show will help you buy better, especially for high days, holidays and Christmas, and the beard was fake so that the local Italian vintners didn't think me to be Oz Clarke! I dare anyone to watch this show and not fall in love with Matthew Goode and wine ... in that order."

The show is expected to debut on ITV this spring. Sky Vision is the global distributor for the series and will be handling the international sales.