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Joanna Lumley in the Land of the Northern Lights

Documentary in which Joanna Lumley travels across the Arctic Circle and through Norway to pursue a lifelong dream of seeing the Northern Lights.

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 degrees centigrade.

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.

1 hour

Last on

Thu 14 Jul 202200:50

Music Played

  • Antonín Dvořák

    Serenade in E -Major op 22, Larghetto

  • Edvard Grieg

    Norwegian Dances op 35 no 1 Allegro Marcato

  • Terry Devine-King

    Flight of Fantasy

  • Geirr Tveitt

    100 Hardanger Tunes: Suite No. 1 op 151. no 9 Langeleik Tune

  • Christian Sinding

    6 Pieces, op 32 no 3 The Rustle of Spring

  • Edvard Grieg

    Lyric Suite op 54 no 3 Nocturne

  • Edvard Grieg

    Anitra's Dance (Peer Gynt Suite No.1, Op.46)

    Orchestra: Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Conductor: Neville Marriner.
  • Edvard Grieg

    The Peer Gynt Suite 2 op 55: Peer Gynt's Return

  • Edvard Grieg

    The Peer Gynt Suite 1 op 46: The Death of Aase

  • Geirr Tveitt

    100 Hardanger Tunes: Suite No. 1 op 151. no 6 Alas My Girl

  • Edvard Grieg

    Lyric Suite op 54 no 4, March of the Dwarfs

  • Edvard Grieg

    Lyric Pieces op 54 no 6, Bell Ringing

  • Anders Nils Eira

    Naranas

  • Edvard Grieg

    Lyric Pieces Op 54; 4. Notturno

  • Edvard Grieg

    Solveig's Song (Peer Gynt Suite no.2)

    Orchestra: Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Conductor: Ole Kristian Ruud.
  • Edvard Grieg

    Last Spring, Op. 33, No. 2

  • Geirr Tveitt

    Piano Concerto No. 4, Op. 130, "Aurora Borealis": Fading Away in the Bright Night of Sprin

  • Ole Bull

    Violin Concerto in E minor: Adagio

  • Geirr Tveitt

    100 Hardanger Tunes: Suite No. 1, Op. 151. no 7: Consecration of the New Beer

  • Edvard Grieg

    Ballade, Op. 24

    (arr. G. Tveitt)

  • Edvard Grieg

    Peer Gynt Suite No. 1, Op. 46: I. Morning Mood

Credits

RoleContributor
PresenterJoanna Lumley
ProducerHelen Braun
DirectorArchie Baron

Broadcasts

  • Sun 7 Sep 200821:00
  • Wed 17 Sep 200822:00
  • Thu 25 Sep 200822:00
  • Sun 12 Oct 200822:00
  • Thu 23 Oct 200801:15
  • Mon 27 Oct 200821:00
  • Wed 12 Nov 200800:05
  • Tue 25 Nov 200820:00
  • Thu 27 Nov 200821:00
  • Sun 14 Dec 200820:00
  • Boxing Day 200816:15
  • Sat 27 Dec 200818:00
  • Sun 28 Dec 200817:00
  • Mon 29 Dec 200818:15
  • Sun 5 Apr 200918:00
  • Tue 13 Oct 200920:00
  • Boxing Day 200918:00
  • Sat 2 Jan 201017:15
  • Wed 13 Jan 201020:00
  • Sat 3 Apr 201017:20
  • Wed 12 May 201020:00
  • Sat 10 Jul 201018:30
  • Thu 12 Aug 201022:00
  • Fri 1 Apr 201118:00
  • Tue 3 May 201120:00
  • Wed 4 May 201100:30
  • Sat 7 May 201118:00
  • Sat 9 Jul 201118:00
  • Sun 10 Jul 201100:50
  • Fri 11 Nov 201118:00
  • Sat 12 Nov 201100:55
  • Thu 20 Aug 202020:00
  • Fri 21 Aug 202002:40
  • Sun 3 Jan 202121:00
  • Mon 4 Jan 202102:05
  • Thu 23 Dec 202120:00
  • Christmas Eve 202102:30
  • Wed 13 Jul 202219:00
  • Thu 14 Jul 202200:50