I’m amazed how much I’ve gone from hatred to love with this man. Wife and I sat here chuckling affectionately at him having a go at Bhangra dancing.

I thought he had gone all Joe Cocker there, interesting bloke after politics, perhaps meeting lots more people has helped

I like him, if for no other reason his dress sense.

Charming Chap. Met him once in Westminster Tube Station, I commented on liking his Train programmes, he seemed really pleased with that comment.. He was wearing bright pink chinos as well..

Some outstanding trousering.

Not dead then?

The more he gets away from all the things that made him obviously a godawful ****, the easier it is to forget he’s a godawful ****. This confuses me not at all. But **** or not he does make a good TV host.

I like his programmes. I struggle to figure out whether his wardrobe is some sort of elaborate hoax. I scan the credits to see if Chris Morris has had a hand in it.

What I find really entertaining is his ‘walking about’ though. He does ‘walking and talking to camera’ very well. But just walking from point A to point B seems to be a real struggle for him. Every programme seems to introduce a scene by having him walk a few paces – across a street, usually – to greet someone. He walks like someone is yelling in an ear piece explaining how to take every single step. ‘do something with your arms!’ ‘for **** sake Michael act natural!’…..’NOT LIKE THAT!’

I think he’s transcended his political career to achieve a broad appeal. Certainly I have a couple of very lefty mates who love his programme about trains.

Known him for years. His wardrobe is not a hoax, he’s just a lot happier with himself these days.

Have seen him doing his one-man show a couple of times and he’s very entertaining, and not afraid to broach any subject.

He’s also very brave the way he throws it open to a Q&A session with the audience in the 2nd half.

What northwind and mackruisekeen (sp) said.

A bit like BoJo, TV persona makes it easy to forget his politics.

A bit like BoJo,

Harsh. Portaloo may be a prime Tory wonker but his TV persona is of a decent chap, not a cretinous baboon.

Harsh. Portaloo may be a prime Tory wonker but his TV persona is of a decent chap, not a cretinous lying baboon.

FIFY.

Yup.  Couldn’t stand him as a Tory ¥wun¥ but as a presenter he’s fairly watchable. His train travelogue is okay.  He’s pretty sensible on R4s Moral Maze too.

Was probably always a charming and interesting fella, I still wouldn’t want him anywhere near making decisions that affect the country. Would be great if the Tory party collapsed and they all went off to make TV shows.

I always thought he was a tit as a politician, (but then I think most are), but I’ve really grown to love his travel programmes, he’s certainly not afraid to look a complete tit, with no apparent embarrassment at all!

Odious hypocrite.

He seemed to take his (’97?) election defeat to heart and reflect on why he was so widely hated. That did seem to change his politics a bit, though not so profoundly that former enemies would start agreeing with him. That and staying one step removed from politics have made him seem less objectionable than he once was.

Enjoying his programmes about trains doesn’t mean he’s stopped being a Tory ****.

I’d like to enjoy his documentaries, but being charming and eccentric…  it’s not really recompense for what an utter **** he is.

I used to be on nodding terms with him as we were often on the same train north out of Kings Cross for a couple of years. Seemed like a decent chap in that Anne Widecombe mold of tories that are tolerable now that they aren’t active tories.

Couldn’t stand him until his Damascene political conversion after his defeat, and life swap with a single mother on benefits. I’m no Tory, but there are a few decent ones left who have conviction. He’s one of them now. As for trains, well I love trains, and his program. As mentioned, he seems a lot happier in himself, and I think it shows.

and I have my own collection of brightly coloured trousers. Why not? Life needs colour.

I find some politicos become less cretinous once they’ve left their party’s echo chamber. It’s kind of like an institutionalised stupidity, that they can move past once they’ve left. Except for Boris, I think his is terminal.

Odious hypocrite.

With such wondrous pastel slacks.

Yeah soz the BoJo compsricomis a but harsh.

He is a good presenter (like another odious turd, Clarkson).

I still remember his face at the 97 defeat.

He is a good presenter (like another odious turd, Clarkson).

Clarkson makes most politicians look good . I’d rather spend a day with Portillo than 10 minutes with clarkson.

Can’t help but find him endearing now. We have almost nothing in common but he’s ok. He pulls off looking completely out of place and any possible situation but still likeable which is not easy. Ken Clarke is probably the only other tory I’d volunteer to have a pint with. Struggle to think of another after that. To be fair there are not many of any political leaning that come to mind.

portillo is much more comfortable after leaving politics for 2 reasons – he no longer has to agree ( collective cabinet responsibility) with things he knows to be wrong and he no longer has to hide his sexuality.

Not all but many politicians seem a lot more reasonable and likable after leaving polotics. Frequently even those with view I do not agree with have a more nuanced and subtle take on their position than that which was initially presented to the general public via their respective party machine. I think just working in politics brings out the worst in everyone.

Couldn’t stand him until his Damascene political conversion after his defeat, and life swap with a single mother on benefits.

I was going to say the same thing. He had something of a “moment” on national telly when he accepted the challenge to live the life people were leading given the decisions people like him had made often without appreciating their outcomes fully. I think even he would admit it changed him.

Also: trousers and blazers

Despite some appalling missteps when in government, he was also the minister that ultimately decided to keep the Settle – Carlisle rail line open, for which I’m grateful.

The best summation of his former life I read was that he was a man with a great political future behind him.

I  met him when he was still a cabinet minister. Had quite a long chat. I expected to hate him, ended up liking him.

I enjoy his programmes. Last week I read a review in The Times where the reviewer moaned that Portillo managed to get in a mention of his Bradshaw’s guide at least three times in the first five minutes. D’Oh!

I watched one of his American railway programmes. Fairly startling to watch his joining in with a rendition of Arlo Guthrie’s “Spirit of New Orleans” with the locals.

Plummy-voiced awkward public-schooled Brit in pink trousers being terribly terribly jolly.

He’s on an interesting journey since emerging from the constraints of the Lizard House, into the world..

He may well be in danger of turning into a National Treasure.

I like his railway journeys very much. A friend of mine who’s heritage line was featured on one of the programmes said that Mr Portillo has the ability to make you feel you’re the centre of attention for 5 minutes. Then, like Keyser Söze, he’s gone.

Would be great if the Tory party collapsed and they all went off to make TV shows.

^This.

Portillo is one of those who I really couldn’t abide when he was a minister, but I too thoroughly enjoy his railway programmes.  I have to admire him (and Diane Abbott) for making an excellent sofa duo on the Andrew Neill show thingy, apparently people have walked up to him in the street and asked after his wife (Abbott)!

Like @edlong the fact that he refused to go along with British Rail’s death by a thousand cuts to the Settle-Carlisle line cleans the slate in my book.

The old water tower at Settle station was converted to a home and was featured on TV (Grand Designs maybe?) They got Michael Portillo to come and open it.

I cycled past him as he was standing outside Hexham Station with his film crew. I repressed the urge to shout ‘Basildon!’ loudly.

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I cycled past him as he was standing outside Hexham Station with his film crew. I repressed the urge to shout ‘Basildon!’ loudly.

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Well done…