Take me to the river

Actress Joanna Lumley sets off on another fabulous journey travelling the 1,770-mile length of the River Danube

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Ever-curious traveller Dame Joanna Lumley returns to her role as intrepid explorer and observer in her latest travel series, following the River Danube — a 1,770-mile stretch of shifting history — from its source in the Black Forest to its delta at the Black Sea.

The Absolutely Fabulous actress admits she knew nothing about the river before filming the series.

“I couldn't be more interested and in love with geography, and the world as a whole,” she says. “But I was pretty thick about the Danube.”

In the three-part series, Joanna begins her journey in Germany and travels through Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania, taking a detour to the Ukrainian border before reaching her final destination, the Black Sea.

“It was a delight to see this magnificent river coming out of the ground at the source, a tiny little trickle, and then travelling her length,” she says. “It was awesome.”

The landscapes left a mark, but Joanna also fulfilled her lifelong dream of visiting the Vienna Boys Choir. She also made a handful of friends along her journey. In Germany, Joanna met a group of older women who've brought together their own community by opening a cafe.