5 MINUTES WITH...

The Absolutely Fabulous Joanna Lumley, 74, with a “treasure trove” of unseen stories from her most memorable travelling adventures…

What’s in store?

This new series contains extra riches that we weren’t able to show before. One forgets how much we have covered.

And there’s behind-the-scenes footage?

We’ve included all those things you wouldn’t normally see on camera. Quite often, these shows look so effortless, but of course, all the people we meet are miked up and told where to stand and to look at me and not the translator, which is a very difficult thing to do. There are little glimpses of us rushing and cramming stuff onto trains. And you’ll get to see this jumping dog – which was absolutely adorable, but he nearly knocked me over and he literally had to be banished whilst I interviewed his kind, clever owner…

What have you missed most about travelling during lockdown?

I think it’s the excitement of the unknown. Not quite knowing what a place is going to be like. I mean, shamefully, I thought Uzbekistan (in Central Asia) was a very faraway country with desert streets and humble little stalls, when, in fact, its fabulous capital Tashkent is just beautiful, with first-class opera houses, grand town halls and beautiful boulevards and parks. Those things can only reveal themselves if you manage to get there and realise how gorgeous and unexpected places can be.

Where will you go first when restrictions are fully lifted? Actually, I would like to see more of the United Kingdom. What a fabulous country we live in. Going away here can be in England or Wales, or to Scotland and the Highlands – and the beauty of Ireland is ravishing.

All the things we have here, we are incredibly lucky.