Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling: Release date, how to watch and which locations are in new BBC series

The actor and his pal Phil MacHugh are back for another series of their travel show.

Martin Compston and friend Phil MacHugh are back in Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling, which follows on from the success of Martin Compston’s Scottish Fling - a six part series that aired in 2022. The road trip travel series sees the Line of Duty star and his friend take in almost 2,000 miles across Norway. From Oslo to the North Arctic, they take in some dramatic remote scenery and unexpected urban exploits. The duo immerse themselves in modern Norway, sometimes literally, and get under the skin of what it means to be Scandi.

Their adventures this time around include roller-skiing to zip-lining down a sky jump towering in the sky on the outskirts of Oslo, to being on stage and crowd-surfing at a Black Metal concert to Martin getting up close with a wolf, as well as trips on truly epic roads, with of course Martin doing the driving, and both belting out ‘the tunes’. Over the course of the series, the friends enjoy a dip in the water after a hot sauna, revel in an outdoor jacuzzi, and are ‘all at sea’ for a day of North Sea oil rig and helicopter safety training and for a day as deck hands on a fishing boat. They also sample Norwegian food, including a sheep’s head, as well as a Michelin Star meal.

Of the new series, Martin said: "it's really nice when you're on something that you're proud of yourself, and that you love being part of, but it's nice when you can feel the people who have seen it, enjoy it so it's actually really exciting. When we did it the last time (Martin Compston's Scottish Fling) we didn't know how people would take to it, we didn't know how it'd turn out. But this time, there seems to be a real anticipation about it. So it's exciting."

When it came to decided on where to go next, the pair weren't sure where to go but had a few countries on each of their lists, but Norway came out of the blue. Phil explained: "We thought, wow, we don't really know much about that country. We'd love to know more about similarities there between certain parts of Shetland and Orkney and especially the west coast of Norway, including their oil and oil and gas, fisheries, and forestry. We thought 'yeah, let's get our teeth into this one'. So we packed our bags and off we went."

The connections to Scotland extend past the industries, as the pair joined the Bergen Pipe Band during the National Day celebrations, where 'the whole country is on hot dogs and champagne at nine in the morning.'

David Marshall, Head of Entertainment, Tern, said: “We are delighted to reunite Martin and Phil and take them across the water to the ultimate adventure playground – Norway! Expect lots of hilarity, jaw-dropping vistas, and of course, those unforgettable car singalongs that will have you tapping your feet and belting out your favourite tunes.’ Steve Allen, Commissioning Editor, BBC Scotland, added: “Martin and Phil are brilliant hosts for this tour of Norway, showcasing its scenery and its urban life, meeting an amazing ‘cast’ of people – while of course being their own entertaining selves. The boys will have audiences laughing one moment and their hearts in their mouth in another.”

Where do Martin and Phil visit in Norway?

In episode one they visit the capital city of Oslo to explore the differences and similarities between Scotland and Norway. They also try their hand at skiing, roller skating and a zip line. There’s some relaxation in a cabin, after meeting Norway’s youngest MP, Maren Grøthe, at The Storting, Norway’s parliament. Episode two sees the friends visit Bergen and the South West for national day and a spot of fishing.

In episode three, they travel from Bergen to Voss  where they try out the offshore emergency training that keeps oil and gas workers safe out at sea. They also try a local delicacy, sheep’s head. In episode four the duo find out more about the Vikings and pagans in central Norway before helping to build a massive bonfire to celebrate midsummer.

In episode five they visit Trondheim where they enjoy modern Norwegian life - sauna, fine dining and a Black Metal gig. Finally, episode six sees the friends explore the Arctic circle where they’ll find out more about nature, go fishing for king crab and enjoy the sights of the most northerly point of Europe.

When is Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling available to watch?

All six episodes are available on BBC iPlayer from Thursday February 22 at 6am. The programme will go out weekly on the BBC Scotland channel from Thursday February 22 at 10pm and it’ll then go out weekly on BBC Two from Friday February 23 at 9pm. Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling will also be shown in Norway on NRK as well as on BritBox.

You can hear more from our chat with Martin and Phil by searching for Scran, wherever you get your podcasts.