Jane McDonald: Pole To Pole | Preview (5)

Jane says she’s “a woman of a certain age” but in this series she’s determined not to let that define her. And she’s proving it by throwing herself into her Pole to Pole adventure and grabbing every opportunity with both hands.

In this episode, she takes three days and four planes just to reach her starting point – the Antarctic peninsula. It’s as close to the South Pole as she can get and the beginning of her epic expedition.

This frozen landscape is not for the faint-hearted and, as her helicopter flies over snow-capped mountains and jaw-dropping icebergs to land safely on her Discovery Yacht, she’s beginning to appreciate the enormity of the journey ahead. Jane being Jane, there is just time for a relaxing glass of champagne in the ship’s bar to mark the start of her adventure.

Jane’s first exploration includes a thrilling zodiac ride around Winter Island getting up close with icebergs and the native wildlife. Back onboard, Jane gives long haul packing tips from her suite and meets fellow passengers for supper to share some transglobal tips and stories.

Later, Jane braves the dangerous Antarctic waters in a two person kayak – and her guide Simon has to call for back-up when the weather turns and things get a little too ‘spicy’. To calm her nerves, Jane tries aerial yoga on the yacht to stay limber on her journey, before taking a Zodiac boat out to land on the volcanic Livingstone Island.

On foot, Jane explores the mountainous glacial terrain of Livingstone Island and comes face-to-face with larger-than-life elephant seals – they’re the size of a car and, as Jane discovers, can move just as fast! Finally, at the end of the first leg of her Pole To Pole journey, Jane takes a musical moment to share a very appropriate song and becomes one of just a handful of people to have performed on the Antarctic Continent.

Jane McDonald: Pole To Pole begins Friday 2nd January at 9pm on Channel 5.