He's no expert - but that's the point. Keeley Bolger spends a day filming with Jamie Theakston in Petra, to find out why someone with "no real history credentials" is fronting an informative new series

AMONG the ancient ruins of Petra in Jordan, former Top Of The Pops presenter Jamie Theakston is putting his years of controlling enthusiastic crowds to good use, as he orchestrates a perfect to-camera piece amid the hubbub of the lost city.

But it's not the Spice Girls or Oasis of Theakston's TOTP heyday causing the furore, it's the archaeological wonder that is this Unesco World Heritage Site, and the thought of the priceless ancient treasure that lies below the rose-coloured buildings that's causing excitement among the horde.

"He's 'one shot Jamie'," says the managing director of the production company, who is making the second series of Forbidden History.

And it seems he's only half-joking, as Theakston delivers his lines to the lens in front of the swelling audience, who've been asked to hold tight for two minutes.

'Cut' is called and Theakston gives a bemused smile of thanks to the crowd, before strolling over to the director Bruce, who tells him about a woman from New Zealand who lived among the locals in Petra's caves, and even laid on an afternoon tea for the Queen in her rocky abode once.

"Amazing," says Theakston, taking in the imposing old caves and buildings. Jordan isn't the only incredible place the 43-year-old, who cut his presenting teeth on Saturday morning kids' show Live & Kicking before moving on to The O-Zone in the mid-1990s, will visit for the six-part series. He'll also head to New York to pursue the true Holy Grail, and Greece to examine the power of the Oracle.

"In my head, I'm hoping my sons have this image of me like TE Lawrence on horseback, as opposed to driving around in a minivan across the desert," he says, laughing.

London-based Theakston, who with wife Sophie Siegle has sons, six-year-old Sidney and Kit, five, initially struggled with the idea of the series.

"With my day job, I don't have a chance to do TV any more," he says. "When Henry from the production company approached me and said, 'Would you like to do a history show?', I was like, 'I can't do it', because he said it would involve a week in Petra, a week in Jerusalem."

But after some re-jigging, Theakston and Henry "worked around the dates" and made it happen.

"We have this ridiculous schedule," he explains. "I'll do my radio show, get on a motorbike, fly out for few hours, film the programme, get back home, sleep, and then back in to work on Monday."

"One of the things that helps is modern technology," says the 6ft 4in broadcaster, as we park up in the desert surrounding Petra.

"My son took a picture of his spelling test and sent it to me. He got 8/8, so I can sort of keep in touch with what they're doing, but it's quite a challenge."

So why is this man with "no real history credentials" spending his weekends learning more about our past?

"Well, I think my lack of history credentials was one of the reasons why I was asked to do it in the first place," he says.

"It's not like it's a Simon Schama academic-authored documentary. They didn't want an academic take on these stories. They wanted someone who didn't know too much about them beforehand, so I would ask the same questions a viewer would."

From working on the series, he has come to enjoy the subject, and "learned to question why certain things are as they are", he adds.

With the directors beckoning him to re-shoot a drive through the desert, Theakston can't stop for long. But he does think he understands why these stories make such fascinating TV - even for non-history buffs like himself.

"History is the backdrop, the story is the narrative and the investigation is what makes it so compelling," he says.

"You've got quite a potent group with those three things, and I think that's what people like to watch."

n Forbidden History, Yesterday channel, 9pm