POLITICIAN turned TV presenter Michael Portillo was spotted filming across Cumbria over the weekend.

The former Conservative MP and cabinet member was seen filming in Ulverston, Keswick and Haverthwaite. He fronts the BBC history and travel series Great British Railway Journeys. 

John Moffat, the general manager at Swarthmoor Hall, said Mr Portillo met some of the local Quakers. The hall has been honouring the life of founder George Fox 400 years after his birth. 

Portillo takes a selfie in Ulverston with Mark Currie (Image: Mark Currie)

"He's up for a week going all over the Lakes," John said. 

"We've just had a big anniversary week, it was on the back of that," he said. John said the TV star was 'very nice and pleasant.' Along with speaking to the Quakers on Saturday morning, he also covered the history of the hall. 

On the subject of the impact TV shows can have when they are filmed in Cumbria, John said: "I would hope it will show this part of the world to a wider audience who may consider coming." 

Although the production crew did not give John an exact date the show would air, they told him it would be 'next year.' 

Mr Portillo also went to the Laurel and Hardy Museum in Ulverston and to the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. He was pictured outside The Coro. 

Portillo stands opposite the Coro and the Laurel and Hardy statuePortillo stands opposite the Coro and the Laurel and Hardy statue (Image: Mark Currie)

Jenny Fox, from Barrow, was on the train with her son, who 'loves Haverthwaite and steam trains.'

"It was even nicer to see Michael Portillo on the train. We had no idea until we got on the train at Lakeside and the seats were reserved for filming," she said. 

"Michael was very friendly and welcomed a photo with us," Jenny added. "My son mentioned his love of steam trains and Michael agreed with him." 

Me Portillo started filming travel and history documentaries for TV after he left the House of Commons in 2005. 

His political career started as a special advisor before he became a Conservative MP under Margaret Thatcher, eventually rising to cabinet positions. 

Famously, he lost his Enfield Southgate seat in 1997 - dubbed the 'Portillo moment' by the media. 

He went back into politics as the MP for Kensington and Chelsea two years later but eventually left after a failed bid for the Conservative party leadership.