Martin Clunes embarks on a thrilling journey in his new travel show, Martin Clunes Islands of the Atlantic – but one discovery left him lost for words as he realised how daunting island life can be.
The three-part series, which airs on ITV, sees the 63 year old actor-director visiting some of the most remote islands in the Atlantic – from the Azores to the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
The adventure begins in São Tomé and PrÃncipe, where Martin Clunes learns about the islands’ dark history of slavery. His journey concludes in Greenland, where he makes a shocking discovery.
Greenland, with its breath-taking glaciers and massive icebergs, leaves a profound impact on him. “It was stunning, mind-blowing, but it’s a hard life,” he shares.
The stories he encounters, from melting ice caps that can trigger tsunamis to the deep isolation of island life, are sobering. “For some people it’s depressing – we spoke to one man who had tried to take his own life,” Martin reveals.
During his stay in São Tomé, which is part of what is considered the African Galapagos off the coast of West Africa, Martin attempts to fully immerse himself in the culture. However, he has a near-miss when trying to get up close with crocodiles on the Bijagos Islands.
“We were too late,” Martin admits, “We could only see them at a distance.” The wildlife presents plenty of surprises for Martin, as he comes face to face with endangered Obi snails and sea turtles.
Martin was surprised to see the latter nearby when he was trying to rescue turtles himself. But he remains unfazed by the crocs.
“Australian saltwater crocodiles I’d be very wary of,” he shares, “I wasn’t worried about the ones we saw in the Bijagos. They wouldn’t go for me.”
In PrÃncipe, it was the locals who left a lasting impression on him. “They’re poor but they are the healthiest people I have ever seen,” he reveals. Their resourcefulness truly amazed him.
“They were running out of sand for building. So they crush bottles and turn them into building blocks for their homes. They make beads for jewellery from the crushed glass. I made some myself – and was offered a job!”.
In Madeira, he experienced an adrenaline-fueled ride with rally driver Jọo Silva and visited one of his favourite places, a vineyard Рwhich he discovered during a previous holiday.
However, while there, a newly installed cable car gave him a moment’s hesitation. “It was a long way down,” he recalls. Martin had no choice – Martin climbs aboard the cable car overcome with nerves. “Though it was precarious, you just have to have faith,” he now says.
With moments of revelation and stunning scenery, Martin presents a show that opens our eyes to the beauty of our world. “It’s just stunning and magical,” he enthuses.