The Real Marigold on Tour

After exploring what it is like to grow old in India, Miriam Margolyes, Wayne Sleep, Rosemary Shrager and Bobby George reunite for another global adventure. This time they sample retirement in China. The group stay in the capital of the Sichuan Province, Chengdu. A bustling city of over 14 million people, all the group find the language barrier difficult, and Miriam in particular struggles with the regional cuisine. A swim in a high-tech pool, in one of the worlds biggest buildings, makes a bad situation worse as Miriam discovers a modern China at odds with her memory of it from a trip 30 years ago. After experiencing city life, the group opt for an overnight stay in a country retreat. A ride on a high-speed bullet train takes them high into the mountains surrounding the city. Home to the giant panda, a feeding session at a local sanctuary leads to an emotional moment for Miriam, while Rosemary cant quite understand what all the fuss is about. Back in Chengdu, a final night at the Sichuan opera gives the group an opportunity to reflect on their bewildering and dazzling time in China.

Sheila Ferguson, Rustie Lee, Paul Nicholas and Dennis Taylor reunite and head on an adventure to the cold but beautiful country of Iceland, where they split their time between a small fishing village and the capital, Reykjavik. In Hausavik, the ladies visit a senior citizens centre - much to Sheilas initial trepidation. Meanwhile, Paul and Dennis join an all-male choir and end up singing to a huge audience in a canyon. The team then reunite to head out whale watching and are moved to tears by what they see. After experiencing the peaceful, slow pace of life in Hausavik, the foursome head six hours south to the capital, where the pensioners pastimes include aqua aerobics and gymnastics. Paul tries his hand at a handstand for the first time in many, many years! Sheila goes on a date with an Icelandic man and realises that, despite usually living thousands of miles apart, they have a lot in common.

Miriam Margolyes, Bobby George, Sheila Ferguson and new recruit Stanley Johnson explore retirement in the largest country in the world, Russia. First stop on their journey is the cultural capital of St Petersburg, where they visit a lavish retirement home for retired actors, before leaving their comfortable surroundings of the city for a night in a Russian Sanatorium.