Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip is a new factual series for BBC Two where three female celebrities from different generations embark on the trip of a lifetime through the Rocky Mountains, following in the footsteps of a historical pioneer and hoping to have some exciting new experiences along the way.
Here's everything we know about the series so far...
Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip air date
The BBC has confirmed that Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip will start on Monday, November 28 at 9 pm on BBC Two. The three-part series will air weekly on Monday nights.
Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip cast
The three stars taking part in Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip are writer, comedian and mental health activist Ruby Wax, singer and Spice Girl Melanie Brown, and actress and comedian Emily Atack.
"I come into my own when I'm physically and mentally challenged, and it does me good to get outdoors and push myself," says Emily. "When I'm stripped of my comforts, I always seem to find a better version of me. It was amazing."
"We are three girls from three different walks of life helping each other, figuring stuff out, and having an absolute blast doing it and making really good TV!" says Mel. "It's hectic, informational and a lot of fun."
Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip historical background
The inspiration for the series comes from pioneering Victorian explorer Isabella Bird, who made a name for herself as an adventurer at a time when most explorers were men.
Born in Yorkshire in 1831, Isabella had a number of health conditions that impacted her life including headaches and insomnia. After a doctor suggested that mountain air might improve her health, she embarked on various overseas trips, including one to Colorado in 1873. Despite it being almost unheard of for a woman to travel alone in this era, Isabella crossed the Wild West, travelling for 800 miles — befriending outlaws and climbing mountains along the way.
Isabella wrote a book based on her adventures, called A Lady's Life In The Rocky Moutains, but many of her exploits have been lost to history — and Ruby, Mel and Emily are hoping to help a new generation to rediscover her.
"Isabella Bird is my heroine," says Ruby. "We were tracking her 800 mile journey on horseback through the Rocky Mountains. She actually walked and travelled the equivalent of three times around the world throughout her years. She rode with only a backpack, sometimes slept in the snow and faced constant danger, either from the wild desperados or wild animals. She climbed 15,000ft mountains and wrangled cattle throughout the state. She had no fear, and yet most people have never heard about her. Hopefully now they will."
Is there a trailer for Trailblazers: A Rocky Mountain Road Trip?
There is! You can check it out below.
