If BBC3 is going down at least it is going down fighting. Next month it airs a scintillating new sitcom from Josh Widdicombe, this week it launches a fab new documentary series fronted by Romesh Ranganathan. Asian Provocateur finds our uber-grumpy guide packed off to Sri Lanka by his Crawley-based mum to find out about the country his family comes from. “I know more about Horsham,” he admits.

Forget genial Michael Palin globetrotting around the planet or Karl Pilkington dimly venturing into the unknown. This is Ranganathan, the angriest stand-up around at the moment. But luckily also one of the funniest. From the moment he steps off the plane he does a marvellous impersonation of the most irritated man in the world.

And he has reason to be irritated. He is supposed to be meeting his uncle, but his driver, Arvinda, takes him on the scenic route, picking up laundry and money on the way. Ranganathan manages to get even more irritated as the programme goes along.

Yet despite his unsmiling tone, our host does start to learn about his culture and we learn some things too. We see him having a chicken rubbed on his head, part of a blessing ceremony which presumably is a good thing, though it doesn’t exactly make him happy. Still, at least he didn’t have to stick his dick in a pig’s mouth. 

He eventually finds his uncle, who makes paper out of elephant dung and seems interested in getting his nephew – if they are actually related – to put his comedy career on hold and set up a UK office for the business. He gets to shovel some shit, but doesn’t exactly take to it. Nor does he take to fishing, which involves sitting on a perch in the sea for four hours.

In fact the only thing Ranganathan is looking forward to is a rap battle that he has set up with a local hip hop crew. The former teacher used to be a rapper before getting into stand-up so he knows he can do this, but things don’t exactly work out as planned. 

Asian Provocateur is a hugely enjoyable hybrid of comedy and documentary, with Ranganathan offering a fresh take on the travelogue genre. He might seem sour a lot of the time, but he is still prepared to get stuck in – probably because he always does what his mum says. By the end of episode one he certainly knows more about Sri Lanka. Have a look, it will put a big smile on your face. Just don’t expect it to put a smile on his.

Wednesdays from Sept 30, 10pm, BBC3. Watch on catch-up here.

Romesh Ranganathan has just announced tour dates. Details here.