On Thin Ice

Fifteen months before the start of their race to the South Pole, Ben Fogle, James Cracknell and Jonny Lee Miller face a gruelling training programme to get into shape.

The weather starts to clear after several days of blizzards; James and Ben's journey continues and the team reach the start line of the Amundsen South Pole Race.

After days of Antarctic blizzards, the weather finally clears and adventurer Ben Fogle, Olympian James Cracknell and doctor Ed Coats, along with the other five teams taking part in the Amundsen South Pole Race, can make it to the start line. The team take an early lead in the race, but over the next nine days things gradually begin to fall apart.

While Ben Fogle undergoes an intensive course of treatment for a lethal tropical illness, Olympic gold medallist James Cracknell and new third team mate Doctor Ed Coats keep training for their Antarctic race. Will Ben be better in time for the final 10-day acclimatisation trek towards the South Pole?

After an enforced rest at the halfway checkpoint the team head out, hot on the heels of the Norwegians. They start well, racing hard in the face of temperatures that are dropping to -40C and below. But within days the extreme conditions start to take a dangerous toll on the team. Will they be able to achieve their dream of reaching the pole together?