Channel 4 & RDG: Train-ing it with Joe Wilkinson

Client: Rail Delivery Group

UK rail journeys hit a record 1.83 billion in 2025-26, but the recovery to the pre-pandemic peak was leisure-led. For Rail Delivery Group (RDG), the problem was consideration: Light Rail Users (mostly under-45s) had drifted to alternative modes of transport and weren't choosing rail for everyday journeys.

They knew trains existed. They just weren't picking them. And only content could fix a consideration problem. Channel 4, with its unparalleled reach among under-45s, partnered with RDG and its agencies to create Train-ing It with Joe Wilkinson - an original long-form series built on a simple insight: trains create a unique kind of uninterrupted time, so make that time the content itself. Comedian Joe joined celebrities Nick Mohammed, Michael Sheen, Rhian Teasdale and Adam Peaty on their real journeys, unlocking conversations a studio never could. Long-form YouTube episodes, social cut-downs, a TVC and Ad Pause units ensured the idea worked everywhere. The result: 35.5 million views against a target of 18.3 million (194% delivery) - now officially Channel 4's most engaged branded entertainment partnership ever. 57% of viewers felt more positive about rail. 52% said they'd use the train more often.