Rebecca Ferguson narrates Wild Scandinavia, a three-part BBC series showcasing the region’s resilient wildlife, its volcanic landscapes and artic extremes — and you can stream it from anywhere with a VPN.
U.K. date and time: Wild Scandinavia airs on BBC Two from Sunday, Dec. 31, at 8:25 p.m. GMT. You can also stream the series on BBC iPlayer shortly after each episode airs.
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Over three daily, consecutive episodes, viewers will be immersed in a land of incredible contrasts. We’ll be transported to Iceland with its explosive volcanoes, explore Denmark’s tidal shores, navigate enchanting Swedish forests, as well witnessing the seasonal phenomena of 24 hour sunlight and its effect on species like polar bears and artic foxes.
In addition to the region’s wildlife, Wild Scandinavia also celebrates its unique culture. Wholeheartedly embracing the Nordic concept of 'friluftsliv' (outdoor life) is one woman who habitually leaps off of Norway’s towering fjords. Meanwhile, viewers will follow the nomadic lifestyles of Sámiherders in the series’ second episode, whole livelihoods center around the migratory habits of reindeer.
This BBC/PBS co-production documents a majestic, yet fragile world, and all with the latest breathtaking technology. Stream every episode as we explain below how to watch Wild Scandinavia online and free in some cases.
FREE Wild Scandinavia stream
How to watch Wild Scandinavia online and FREE with BBC iPlayer
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How to watch Wild Scandinavia online from anywhere with a VPN
Currently traveling in a country where BBC iPlayer isn’t available? With the right VPN (Virtual private network), you can continue to access your usual platforms and watch your favorite shows online no matter where in the world you are.
We've evaluated many options, and the best VPN is ExpressVPN. It meets the VPN needs of the vast majority of users, offering outstanding compatibility with most devices and impressive connection speeds. It's also affordable at $12.95 per month. (Signing up for longer periods of six months or a year reduces the cost even more down to a minimum of $6.67).
Using a VPN is incredibly simple.
1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, ExpressVPN is our favorite.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.S. and want to view a U.K. service, you'd select U.K. from the list.
3. Sit back and enjoy the show. Head to BBC iPlayer and stream new episodes of Wild Scandinavia online.
How to watch Wild Scandinavia online FREE in the U.S.
You can currently watch all three episodes online via the PBS Documentaries channel, available through Amazon Prime Video as an add-on. Both Prime and PBS Documentaries offer free trial periods to new subscribers, but after they elapse you’ll pay $14.99 and $3.99 a month for each service respectively.
A U.K. citizen abroad? With a VPN you can connect to BBC iPlayer from anywhere, and stream Wild Scandinavia online using your usual service from anywhere.
How to watch Wild Scandinavia online in Canada
Access to Wild Scandinavia seems rather limited in Canada. If you’re a member of a select number of public libraries, then you could watch the documentary service free through Hoopla. Otherwise, it seems those in the Great White North are out of luck.
Abroad and unable to access BBC iPlayer? As mentioned above, a VPN will let you stream Wild Scandinavia online no matter where in the world you are.
How to watch Wild Scandinavia FREE online in Australia
You can watch Wild Scandinavia with a Binge subscription and stream all three episodes right away.
New subscribers to the service can enjoy a 14 day-free trial before having to pay a thing. Subsequently, a membership will cost from AU$10 a month.
Remember: if you're a U.K. citizen currently travelling away from home, you could still connect to BBC iPlayer and stream Wild Scandinavia live or on-demand. All you need is a VPN such as ExpressVPN.
Watch Wild Scandinavia trailer:
Before you check out how to watch Wild Scandinavia online, take a look at the trailer below:
Everything to know about Wild Scandinavia
When will Wild Scandinavia be released?
This BBC documentary series debuts on December 31 at 8:25 p.m. GMT. The subsequent two episodes will air on Monday, January 1, and Tuesday, January 2, at the later time of 9:00 p.m. GMT.
Q & A with series narrator Rebecca Ferguson
Q: What made you want to be part of this series?
A: I was brought up having a magical connection to nature. When later introduced to the world of BBC wildlife programmes it brought back so much nostalgia. Being asked to be part of this series therefore was a huge honour for me.
Q: Tell us a bit about growing up in Scandinavia.
A: When I was growing up, I always wanted to go exploring in the woods and become one of my favourite childhoods characters Ronja from stories by Astrid Lindgren. She was a true representation of Swedish and Scandinavian nature. I also loved to do another tradition of picking wild strawberries and threading them through strains of straw.
Q: Tell us about your personal passion for Scandinavia.
A: It’s Raw and wild. It’s Pinecones, mushroom picking, cold, mythical mysterious. So many tales and stories come from the world of Scandinavia.
Q: Describe any personal experiences you’ve had with wildlife in Scandinavia.
A: It’s hard not to have connections with nature. For me it’s about feeling connected to it and being a part of it daily. I was brought up in Stockholm then moved to the south of Sweden to a remote fishing village, meaning I got to explore such drastic difference in environments and temperatures.
Q: Were there any standout or memorable sequences in the series for you?
A: Being a part of the whole story and seeing things that I would have never got the opportunity to see was such a treat. It brings me as close to it as possible. It’s so unusual to see it all first-hand and I got to be part of it adding my narrative which was magical. As an ocean lover, I particularly enjoyed the reproductive process of the synchronised star fish and watching the sea cucumbers feed on the algae and plankton from the seabeds.
Q: Did you learn anything new about Scandinavia that you didn’t know before narrating the series?
A: Yes! I couldn’t believe that they are still preserving fish the same way we did in the Viking times! It was fascinating to see that process.
Q: What do you believe is so captivating about this region?
A: The Landscape is the main characteristic, it’s sharp and harsh and the animals have had to learn to shape to their environment. The extreme difference between the North of Sweden with its angular landscapes to the south of Sweden with its rolling hillsides, orchards and apple trees.
Q: Do you have a favourite species from the series and why?
A: Yes! The White-Tailed Sea Eagle is my favourite species from the series. They are so majestic flying through the air. Their hunting skills of catching the fish is like watching a thrilling chase scene from a movie! It’s so highly skilled and chaotic at the same time.
Q: What do you hope viewers will take away from watching Wild Scandinavia?
A: I hope that they it will Learn about new environments and that it opens up their eyes to the beauty of this region. How different it is. Why it’s so different. How the people have had to adapt to the environment. The extremes of the seasonal weather and landscapes. I hope it makes people want to visit and to nurture and to care for our world even more.
What's the Wild Scandinavia episode 1 synopsis?
"Life On The Edge follows a coastal journey from the sheltered Baltic Sea to the Wild Atlantic Ocean, travelling north to freezing Arctic waters. In turns both cruel and generous, the sea can bring both life and death. Seal pups are born on granite islands left by the Ice Age, while mesmerising flocks of migrant birds visit the largest tidal flats on the planet.
Norway’s iconic fjords stretch up to 100 miles inland. These towering canyons are now where courageous base jumpers fly down plunging waterfalls. Europe’s largest eagles patrol the sea cliffs and their youngsters become pirates, stealing a meal in dramatic aerial combat.
Otters survive high in the arctic and feisty puffins return to snowy islands to breed. But with burrows in short supply, it’s a fight to secure a home. Pods of Orca and humpback whales feast on great shoals of herring in Scandinavia’s greatest wildlife spectacle, as scientist and photographer, Audun Rikardsen, tries to understand the relationships between them all. Where the land meets the sea, only the tough and the resourceful can carve out a life on the edge."
What's the Wild Scandinavia episode 2 synopsis?
"Heartlands reveals the magical beauty of Scandinavia’s forests and waterways through the turning seasons. Ancient Norse myth told of Yggdrasil - a great tree linking worlds. Still today, the great forests are an intensely interconnected world, where survival depends on the relationships you keep. Ingenious ravens work together to outsmart golden eagles to get a meal. Sámiherders rely on reindeer, and osprey swoop down to catch fish from lakes built by beavers.
Lynx were said to be the companion of the Norse goddess of love, Freyja. In the spring a wandering male lynx leaves his own scented love letter to passing females on a twisted pine, hoping for success.
Emerging from hibernation, a mother bear tries to teach her playful cubs – but climbing up is easier than down. By autumn bears need to pack on the pounds but must contend with wolves in their element.
Finally, with winter’s return Nordic skaters venture out on the first black ice of the season. Their delicate balance on the thinnest ice becomes a metaphor for us all, in our connection with the natural world."
What's the Wild Scandinavia episode 3 synopsis?
"Ice And Fire explores the dramatic extremes of the Nordic territories – volcanic Iceland, the high tundra and Arctic Svalbard. Polar bears, arctic fox and musk ox must all survive in a world ruled by the great pendulum of sunlight – from total darkness to midnight sun.
Musk ox are built to withstand the dark polar nights and freezing blizzards, when the only hint of the sun are the dancing streams of the Northern lights. Back-country skiers embrace the Icelandic winter but a few creatures have found a way to sidestep to Sun’s absence, including surprising hot spring spiders.
The sun’s return kick starts the most dramatic transformation, heralding a hectic world under 24hour sunlight. Crazy courting Ruffs dance for mates and Little Auk chicks must complete flight school, while Glaciologists tap into the impacts of climate change, and musk ox struggle in the sweltering summer glare.
For some, winter is about resilience and scraping through until the summer feasts, but for others it’s the summer heat which brings the greatest danger."
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