Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights

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Synopsis

An amazing journey in Norway's Far North as Joanna Lumley pursues a lifelong dream to track down the elusive, stunningly beautiful Northern Lights - 'the true wonder of the world,' as she puts it.

Joanna grew up in tropical Malaysia, and as a little girl never saw snow or felt cold. Inspired by fairytales and picture books, she always longed to make the journey north. At last she travels north across the Arctic Circle, up through Norway to Svalbard, the most northerly permanently inhabited place on Earth, where she has to cope with temperatures approaching minus 30 deg C.

With a box of crayons in hand, her journey takes her from train to boat, to husky-sled, to snowmobile, as she is pulled ever northwards by what she calls 'the strongest point of the compass'. She explores the romantic fjords of Lofoten and learns to ride a snowmobile, speeding across endless expanses of Lapland tundra with a Sami herdsman in search of his reindeer. As she reaches the Arctic Ocean, she prepares for bed in a hotel made entirely of ice. Everywhere she goes, she asks about the mysterious Northern Lights.

Credits

Presenter

Joanna Lumley

Broadcasts

1. Sun 7 Sep 2008
   21:00
   BBC One
2. Sun 7 Sep 2008
   21:00
   BBC HD
3. Wed 17 Sep 2008
   22:00
   BBC HD
4. Thu 25 Sep 2008
   22:00
   BBC HD
5. Sun 12 Oct 2008
   22:00
   BBC HD
6. Thu 23 Oct 2008
   01:15
   BBC One (except Wales)
7. Mon 27 Oct 2008
   21:00
   BBC HD
8. Wed 12 Nov 2008
   00:05
   BBC One (Wales only)
9. Tue 25 Nov 2008
   20:00
   BBC HD
10. Thu 27 Nov 2008
    21:00
    BBC Four
11. Sun 14 Dec 2008
    20:00
    BBC HD
12. Fri 26 Dec 2008
    16:15
    BBC HD
13. Sat 27 Dec 2008
    18:00
    BBC Two (Scotland only)
14. Sun 28 Dec 2008
    17:00
    BBC HD
15. Mon 29 Dec 2008
    18:15
    BBC Two (England, Wales (Analogue) only)
16. Sun 5 Apr 2009
    18:00
    BBC One
17. Sun 5 Apr 2009
    18:00
    BBC HD