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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 2022 00:50

Music Played

  • Anton铆n Dvo艡谩k

    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 no 4, Nocturne

  • 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

Role Contributor
Presenter Joanna Lumley
Producer Helen Braun
Director Archie Baron

Broadcasts

  • Sun 7 Sep 2008 21:00
  • Wed 17 Sep 2008 22:00
  • Thu 25 Sep 2008 22:00
  • Sun 12 Oct 2008 22:00
  • Thu 23 Oct 2008 01:15
  • Mon 27 Oct 2008 21:00
  • Wed 12 Nov 2008 00:05
  • Tue 25 Nov 2008 20:00
  • Thu 27 Nov 2008 21:00
  • Sun 14 Dec 2008 20:00
  • Boxing Day 2008 16:15
  • Sat 27 Dec 2008 18:00
  • Sun 28 Dec 2008 17:00
  • Mon 29 Dec 2008 18:15
  • Sun 5 Apr 2009 18:00
  • Tue 13 Oct 2009 20:00
  • Boxing Day 2009 18:00
  • Sat 2 Jan 2010 17:15
  • Wed 13 Jan 2010 20:00
  • Sat 3 Apr 2010 17:20
  • Wed 12 May 2010 20:00
  • Sat 10 Jul 2010 18:30
  • Thu 12 Aug 2010 22:00
  • Fri 1 Apr 2011 18:00
  • Tue 3 May 2011 20:00
  • Wed 4 May 2011 00:30
  • Sat 7 May 2011 18:00
  • Sat 9 Jul 2011 18:00
  • Sun 10 Jul 2011 00:50
  • Fri 11 Nov 2011 18:00
  • Sat 12 Nov 2011 00:55
  • Thu 20 Aug 2020 20:00
  • Fri 21 Aug 2020 02:40
  • Sun 3 Jan 2021 21:00
  • Mon 4 Jan 2021 02:05
  • Thu 23 Dec 2021 20:00
  • Christmas Eve 2021 02:30
  • Wed 13 Jul 2022 19:00
  • Thu 14 Jul 2022 00:50