Karl Pilkington, Warwick Davis in Venice for 'Short Way Round' - pic

Published Jun 27 2012, 13:34 BST  |  By Daniel Sperling

The first image of Karl Pilkington and Warwick Davis filming An Idiot Abroad spinoff The Short Way Round has been unveiled.

The shot teases the unlikely duo's stopover in Venice during their 5,000-mile trek from Italy to China, orchestrated by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant for Sky1.



Pilkington is seen sporting a traditional Venetian costume and tatty trainers, while his noticeably more cheerful colleague is dressed in a gondolier's outfit.

The Short Way Round will comprise two 60-minute specials in which Pilkington and Davis attempt to recreate the journey of famous explorer Marco Polo. It will air in late 2012.

Asked for his thoughts on the trip, Pilkington said: "I don't know how it will work out. Honestly. Edmund Hillary had that Tenzing fella, Ben Fogle had James Cracknell. I've been given an Ewok."

Gervais confirmed earlier this month that An Idiot Abroad and The Ricky Gervais Show will both come to an end so that he can concentrate on projects such as his new Channel 4 sitcom Derek, which also stars Pilkington.

Watch highlights of An Idiot Abroad series two below: