Joanna Lumley takes us behind the scenes of her epic travels

Actress and Ab Fab star Joanna Lumley has clocked up masses of air miles jetting around the world during her celebrated travel documentaries. But not every moment makes it into the final cut.
In this series, Joanna takes us behind the scenes and shares unseen footage (and the occasional blooper) from her epic global adventures, starting in Japan and spanning right through to Cuba.
Watch Joanna Lumley's Unseen Adventures and more acclaimed documentaries on BBC Select today. Restrictions apply*.
More documentaries you might like...

Joanna Lumley in the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon
Ab Fab's Joanna Lumley takes a personal odyssey to retrace her grandad's steps in Bhutan.

The Silk Road
The world's first superhighway that carried goods and ideas between Europe and China.

South Korea with Alexander Armstrong
Alexander Armstrong explores one of the most dynamic nations on earth: South Korea.

Iceland With Alexander Armstrong
Travel to the Land of Fire and Ice to learn more about its unique nature and culture.

George Clarke's Remarkable Renovations
George Clarke meets the people breathing new life into unused and unloved buildings.

Iceland With Alexander Armstrong
Travel to the Land of Fire and Ice to learn more about its unique nature and culture.

The Last Aztec
Author DBC Pierre takes a road trip across Mexico to seek the true soul of the Aztecs.

The World's Most Secret Hotels
Discover spectacular hidden gems as we explore the world's most remote luxury hotels.

The World's Most Secret Hotels
Discover spectacular hidden gems in this travel show dedicated to the world’s most remote luxury hotels.

Joanna Lumley: In The Land of the Northern Lights
Can Joanna Lumley fulfill a life-long dream and track down the elusive Northern Lights?

Christmas in New York: Inside the Plaza
Tis the season to be swanky as the luxurious Plaza hotel gets ready for Christmas.

Christmas in London
Ever wondered what Christmas is like in one of the world's most glamorous capitals?

Secrets Of Royal Travel
The unseen luxury and decadence within the royal family’s planes and trains.

Secrets Of The Bermuda Triangle
Exploring the planet’s most notorious and mysterious body of water: the Bermuda Triangle.

Jungle Atlantis
An archaeological team in Cambodia discover an incredible, mysterious lost metropolis.

The Art of Gothic
Why were Brits in the 19th-century obsessed with art that was horrific, macabre and weird?

The High Art of the Low Countries
Size doesn’t matter. How one small region spawned the greatest artists of all time.

The Art of Spain
Territory, politics and religious conflict: the untold history of Spain’s cultural legacy.

Secrets of South America
What do money, sex, status and power mean to the young people of South America?

Secrets of China
Digging beneath the skin. What it’s really like to grow up in this secretive state?

Cuba With Simon Reeve
Cubans reveal what life is like in the communist state as it flirts with capitalism.

Joanna Lumley’s Hidden Caribbean: Havana to Haiti
Ab Fab superstar Joanna Lumley soaks up the sun, sights and sensations of Cuba and Haiti.

The World’s Most Luxurious Holidays
Need a getaway? Discover the most exclusive holiday hotspots where the mega-rich unwind.

Write Around the World
Revisit your favourite reads with Academy Award nominee Richard E. Grant

Joanna Lumley's Trans-Siberian Adventure
From China, Mongolia and Russia with love: Join Joanna Lumley’s Trans-Siberian Adventure

The Persians: A History of Iran
How was the world's first empire born and what led to its ultimate destruction?

Africa with Ade Adepitan
It's Africa, but not as you know it. Ade Adepitan explores a constantly evolving land.

Secret Cities
How much can the artistic history of a great city tell us about its character?

Archaeology: A Secret History
Better living through archeology. How can our past make sense of our present?

Kolkata with Sue Perkins
What’s life like in an Indian megacity? The Great British Baking Show host finds out.

Amazing Hotels: Life Beyond the Lobby
How does a hotel become extraordinary? Our food critic and chef duo meet the pioneers.

Joanna Lumley's Japan
A fantastic voyage around Japan with British national treasure Joanna Lumley.

Pilgrimage with Simon Reeve
The vice, thrills and dangers that awaited those adventurers who embarked on pilgrimage.
BBC Select Email Newsletter
Sign up to be the first to know about new shows on BBC Select, the latest collection of documentaries and other content from BBC Studios we think you’ll enjoy.
2010s

Worlds Collide: The Manchester Bombing
Why did a British-born terrorist detonate a suicide bomb at an Ariana Grande concert?

The Murder of Grace Millane: Social Media Murders
What role did social media play in the tragic death of British backpacker Grace Millane?

The Shamima Begum Story: The Girl Who Joined ISIS
The story of notorious ISIS bride Shamima Begum told in her own words for the first time.

A Murder In Washington
An investigation into Seth Rich, a young staffer working for the Democrats, who was shot.

Hong Kong's Fight for Freedom
Under attack from the authorities, four young Hongkongers resort to violence to defend their way of life.

Grand Designs
Ambitious Brits try to overcome adversity to self-build their own magnificent dream homes.

Tareena: Return From ISIS
The extraordinary story of Tareena Shakil, the first British woman to be jailed when returning from ISIS.

The Pity of War
Britain's decision to enter the First World War might have been a tragic miscalculation.

Louis Theroux: Dark States - Murder in Milwaukee
Louis Theroux is in Milwaukee to investigate the city's spiraling homicide rate.

Poaching Wars with Tom Hardy
Actor Tom Hardy is in Africa to investigate the poaching of rhinos and elephants

Joanna Lumley in the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon
Ab Fab's Joanna Lumley takes a personal odyssey to retrace her grandad's steps in Bhutan.

I Shot My Parents
This true crime film asks, what drove a 14-year-old boy to try and kill both his parents?

The Hunt for Bin Laden
How was Osama Bin Laden able to evade capture despite the intense efforts to find him?

World's Weirdest Homes
It features Mr Toilet’s toilet house. Do we really need to tell you any more?

The Rise of Female Violence
Are female-led street fights and violent girl gangs on the rise? And if so, why?

The Plastic Surgery Capital of the World
Not born with beauty? Buy it. But what’s the cost of Korean plastic perfection?

Secrets of South America
What do money, sex, status and power mean to the young people of South America?

Secrets of China
Digging beneath the skin. What it’s really like to grow up in this secretive state?

Meet the Young Americans
Kids in crisis. Shining a light on the shocking lives of America’s youth.

Louis Theroux: The Ultra Zionists
Louis Theroux gets close to the extreme end of the West Bank’s Jewish settler movement.
Cultural Exploration

Behind The Scenes: The Coronation of King Charles III
Discover what goes into the planning and organization of a historic royal coronation.

Border Country
What are borders, why are they created and how do they affect nations and individuals?

The Coronation: A Day To Remember
The coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort Camilla

South Korea with Alexander Armstrong
Alexander Armstrong explores one of the most dynamic nations on earth: South Korea.

A Very Royal Wedding
A Very Royal Wedding
A joyful look back at the royal wedding day of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

Inside the Tower of London
Go behind closed doors to see how an iconic piece of British history is run today.

Born To Be The King
What does the future hold for the heir to the British throne, Prince George?

The Ottomans: Europe's Muslim Emperors
The story of the mighty Ottoman Empire and its role in shaping Europe and the wider world.

Titanic and Me
After more than a century the impact of the Titanic disaster is still felt today.

Iceland With Alexander Armstrong
Travel to the Land of Fire and Ice to learn more about its unique nature and culture.

The Art Of Japanese Life
The mysterious and remarkable art and culture of Japan is explored and explained.

India's Partition The Forgotten Story
In 1947, India was divided in two leading to violence and death. Why did it happen?

India's Partition: The Forgotten Story
In 1947, India was divided in two leading to violence and death. Why did it happen?

The Art Of Japanese Life
The mysterious and remarkable art and culture of Japan is explored and explained.

African Apocalypse
The atrocities committed by a rogue French officer in Africa are still being felt today.

Renaissance Education: The Schooling Of Thomas More's Daughter
How the ideas that shaped Margaret More's education changed the cultural life of England.

Russia: 1000 Years Of History
An exploration of Russia's beginnings to its position as the biggest country in the world.

African Apocalypse
The atrocities committed by a rogue French officer in Africa are still being felt today.

Joanna Lumley: In The Land of the Northern Lights
Can Joanna Lumley fulfill a life-long dream and track down the elusive Northern Lights?

The Normans
How the extraordinary ambition of the Normans transformed the history of Europe.

Picturing Elizabeth: Her Life in Pictures
The stories behind some of the most famous and era-defining pictures of Queen Elizabeth II.

Armada: The Untold Story
The fierce naval conflict between England and Spain that changed the face of Europe.

Black Power: America's Armed Resistance
What is the Black Liberation Movement trying to achieve and what tactics do they use?

The Platinum Jubilee Interview: Tina Brown
Writer Tina Brown speaks with Katty Kay about decades chronicling the British royal family

Joanna Lumley in the Kingdom of the Thunder Dragon
Ab Fab's Joanna Lumley takes a personal odyssey to retrace her grandad's steps in Bhutan.

A Royal Guide to…
A revealing look into some of the more peculiar protocols followed by the Royal Family.

The Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II
The fascinating story of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II

The Silk Road
The world's first superhighway that carried goods and ideas between Europe and China.

The Wild West
What is the truth behind the iconic figures of the Wild West – and what is pure myth?

Secrets of South America
What do money, sex, status and power mean to the young people of South America?

Secrets of China
Digging beneath the skin. What it’s really like to grow up in this secretive state?