Despite being a seasoned traveller, local TV host Danny Yeo shared that travelling to Vietnam for the new travelogue Rail Life Story made him feel like he’s “been through a second life”.
The 52-year-old told AsiaOne at the Asia TV Forum & Market 2025 (ATF) on Dec 4: “It was like looking back at all the different stops I’ve made, destinations I’ve been to, people I’ve met and also the mistakes I’ve encountered and made.”
He described the process as a reflection of himself as he looked back on his long and illustrious career dating all the way back to his days as a child actor.
“I’ve been in mass media for the longest time. My entire career and life were about the audience and I feel that I haven’t served myself very well,” he said, admitting that the work came at the expense of his mental and physical wellbeing.
He realised that in both his personal life and career, he often gravitated towards topics that were less mainstream including pottery, theatre and social issues.
Danny also admitted he was initially reluctant to travel to Vietnam as he felt there “aren’t many other emotional stories that I can share how I feel”.
However, when he found out the show’s theme is based on trains, specifically the Reunification Express for his segment, and about sharing his life journey, he felt it was worth it to go again”.
Asia TV Forum & Market, held on Dec 3 to 5, was a part of Infocomm Media Development Authority’s (IMDA) Singapore Media Festival.
Rail Life Story is an eight-part infotainment series that is co-commissioned by Mediacorp and Taiwanese broadcaster Public Television Service.
It features various celebrities as they travel across different railways, including Bangladesh, Turkey and Australia, to explore the stories of the people and places they visit.
Danny, the host for episode six, boards Vietnam’s Reunification Express from Hanoi, travelling through train streets, war tunnels and fishing villages. The journey runs the length of the country, from Hanoi in the north to Ho Chi Minh City in the south. As the railway was rebuilt after the Vietnam War, it became symbolic of the country’s reunification.
The hosts for the series also include Singaporean singer Kit Chan, local actors Mark Lee and Darren Lim, Taiwanese actress Pets Tseng as well as Taiwanese hosts Bowie Tsang, Lulu Huang and Kaiser Chuang.
Sharing a hug with the producers on stage at ATF 2025, Danny admitted that they were close to tears because they were reminded of how tough and difficult the past two years have been for them working on the programme.
“Every day you didn’t really know what you were going to face or meet, and whether you were going to be able to gain footage at all,” he added, describing the filming process as “guerilla warfare”.
Took quite a toll on health
Although Danny enjoys embarking on various travels and adventures, it also came at a cost.
Admitting that the trip took quite a toll on his health, Danny revealed that his slipped disc recurred subsequently.
He recalled there were two consecutive nights where he had to sleep in a four-bedder cabin because they were filming on the train and, as comfortable as his bed was, he couldn’t get any proper rest for those three days and two nights.
Not only was it noisy and lights were constantly coming in through the windows, he was also jostled from side to side.
“When we were in Vietnam, I was walking a little slower than usual,” he added. “I had to go for physiotherapy after that and now do my own exercises.”
When he and the team returned to Vietnam in June for another shoot, he was afraid they might have to take the train again. The worries were fortunately unfounded.
‘Always favoured train over flights’
Danny also shared that he prepares for every episode he hosts by keeping a journal, which includes his scripts, talking points and prior research.
“I’ll print stuff out from the internet. I’ll find interesting little snippets or stories that I can share. I’ll also look back on my own experiences, my own readings and then put it all in,” he said.
“This is my style and the way I prefer to present a more personal point of view.”
Having been to Vietnam four times for work, he recalls his trips by revisiting the different experiences and episodes he had.
When asked about his favourite mode of transport, trains took the crown.
“I’ve always favoured trains over flights, even when I go travelling on my own in Europe or in Asia, because I think that is a way of slow experience — you actually get to know the people there.”
He added: “Even for my own travels, particularly for Vietnam, I’m interested to know about their culture, the people and what stories I can get out of it, instead of just going to the usual places of attraction.”
If trains aren’t an option, his other choices are either to drive or ride a motorcycle.
“I’ve been riding motorcycles for more than 30 years,” he said.
“I wish I had a chance to do motorcycle diaries — a series on exploring different places just by travelling on motorcycle.”
He added: “I feel that there are so many different modes of travel. The worst would be being stuck on a tour bus.”
Rail Life Story premieres on Mewatch and Channel 8 on Dec 11.
[[nid:726494]]
esther.lam@asiaone.com
No part of this article can be reproduced without permission from AsiaOne.
Read the full article here
