Simon's cold truths from a Scandinavia we rarely see

NORDIC countries hold surprises around every corner — but the most shocking discovery by explorer Simon Reeve was the level of gang violence blighting Sweden.

- By Tony Whitfield

In his new three-part TV series Scandinavia, starting tonight, he journeys across the vast region to offer viewers a glimpse of what it is like to live there, from the Arctic tundra and endless forests to its major cities.

The 52-year-old said: “It’s a part of the world many of us think we know - you know, happy people, stunning landscapes, maybe a slightly eye-watering price for a pint.

“But I’ve always found the places we think we're familiar with often hold the biggest surprises.”

And the biggest was the ongoing problem of gang warfare, which he encountered when spending time with the bomb squad in Malmo, Sweden’s third largest city.