Greg Jenner

Gotcha. OK. So you're sort of rounding off. Once you go past Alaska, you're clear. You're out.

Yeah, and thanks to the climate catastrophe, which you've been trying to mine for jokes. Yes, in a responsible way. And in fairness, it's a very good show. What's quite interesting and perhaps depressing now is you can now comfortably cruise through this Northwest Passage on a lovely luxury liner. Do you know when that was first possible? Which year that became possible?

Yeah, and thanks to the climate catastrophe, which you've been trying to mine for jokes. Yes, in a responsible way. And in fairness, it's a very good show. What's quite interesting and perhaps depressing now is you can now comfortably cruise through this Northwest Passage on a lovely luxury liner. Do you know when that was first possible? Which year that became possible?

That's a good guess. Vanessa?

That's a good guess. Vanessa?

Yes. Given how inhospitable this environment would have been, why do you think European explorers were so keen to go and stick their flag up this back passage?

Yes. Given how inhospitable this environment would have been, why do you think European explorers were so keen to go and stick their flag up this back passage?

I think you did well with the first answer. The second answer started to veer away a bit. I mean, power and war is pretty good.

I think you did well with the first answer. The second answer started to veer away a bit. I mean, power and war is pretty good.

But you're right, money and power and war and the insatiable desire for Chinese porcelain were driving this. And porn as well, that drives everything. Was there any sex in the Arctic? I don't know if there was any sex. Well, maybe.

But you're right, money and power and war and the insatiable desire for Chinese porcelain were driving this. And porn as well, that drives everything. Was there any sex in the Arctic? I don't know if there was any sex. Well, maybe.

We should say, I mean, it wasn't just Europeans who were exploring Northwest Passage. As always on this show, we have to sort of say it's not just European explorers. I mean, indigenous peoples were already sort of exploring this. They'd already discovered it by being born there. They were living there. Yeah, definitely.

We should say, I mean, it wasn't just Europeans who were exploring Northwest Passage. As always on this show, we have to sort of say it's not just European explorers. I mean, indigenous peoples were already sort of exploring this. They'd already discovered it by being born there. They were living there. Yeah, definitely.

Yeah, well, we've done an episode on the Vikings getting to Newfoundland, you know, a thousand years ago. So I guess those interactions continued.

Yeah, well, we've done an episode on the Vikings getting to Newfoundland, you know, a thousand years ago. So I guess those interactions continued.

So it's not big, long ships, not huge, not massive battleships. We're talking about a little coracle, a little canoe. Yeah.

So it's not big, long ships, not huge, not massive battleships. We're talking about a little coracle, a little canoe. Yeah.

That's a lot of paddling.

That's a lot of paddling.

Blimey. That is absolutely taking my breath away. I'm just looking at the map going, Scotland's not even on the map.