Bill Murray Brings Golf and Irish Heritage to the BBC
Hollywood star Bill Murray is trading the bright lights of Tinseltown for the Irish countryside in a new six-part television travel series. The program, titled A Course Called Ireland, follows the 75-year-old actor on a golfing road trip around the island alongside family members and prominent guest stars. The project takes inspiration from American writer Tom Coyne’s bestselling travel memoir, which documented a 16-week journey playing every seaside and links course across Ireland.
The series pairs sporting outings with cultural exploration as the actor interacts with local residents and examines his own Irish ancestry. Eddie Doyle, head of commissioning at BBC Northern Ireland, described the production as a journey filled with friendship, humor, and unscripted moments.
Celebrity Companions and Donegal Landscapes
Throughout the six-part journey, Murray is joined by authors, family members, and well-known entertainment figures. The travel party features Tom Coyne, members of the Murray family including brothers Joel and Johnny, comedian Joanne McNally, actor Chris O’Dowd, and former NFL player Jason Kelce. O’Dowd and Murray previously appeared together in the 2014 comedy-drama film St. Vincent.
Production stops span multiple regions across the island, including prime golfing destinations in Cork, Donegal, and the iconic Giant’s Causeway. In Donegal, the production visited Cruit Island Golf Club, stopped at Eddie Doherty’s Handwoven Tweeds shop in Ardara during filming in September 2025, and stayed overnight at Lough Eske.
Broadcast Schedule and Streaming Details
The series begins its broadcast rollout in late October. The first episode, titled “Feels Like Home,” debuts on BBC One Northern Ireland on Friday, October 23, at 10.40pm. Additional broadcasts are scheduled on BBC Two on Sunday, October 25, at 9.30pm, and Tuesday, October 27, at 10pm. Episode two, titled “The High Notes,” follows on BBC One Northern Ireland on Tuesday, October 27, at 10.40pm. Alongside linear broadcasts on BBC One Northern Ireland, BBC iPlayer and BBC Two, the series streams on Paramount+.
