Avid explorer brings his adventurous tales to Leamington

But Paul Rose, who has spent more than 40 years travelling the world both on land and sea, from Antarctica to Everest, can lay claim to this impressive employment history - and his explorations continue.

Weeks before he heads back to Antarctica to carry on with his research on polar science, audiences at the Spa Centre in Leamington can be inspired by his tales of a lifetime of adventure when his debut tour, Explore, stops at the venue on Friday.

Climbing Antarctica’s most active volcano to assist NASA in testing its Mars lander, diving in sub-zero waters looking for near-shore marine biology sites and exploring the remote Mascerene Plateau in the western Indian Ocean are just a few of these adventures.

Paul has been “run over” by an iceberg the size of Hyde Park and once had to survive for four days on soup made out of toothpaste.

Dubbed “the survivalist historian” by The Times, his passion for discovery and exploration have been captured for TV audiences in numerous documentaries.

Paul’s BBC series Voyages of Discovery saw him follow in the footsteps of such pioneers as Captain Cook and Ferdinand Magellan. On BBC Two’s Oceans, he spent a year leading eight voyages to explore the planet’s last true wilderness.

His new BBC Two series Britain’s Secret Seas sees Paul exploring closer to home, capturing the stunning marine life and mysterious wrecks just beyond our own shores.

Now a mountain and polar guide leading Greenland Icecap crossing expeditions, the Essex-born Paul - who left school at 16 with just one O-level - has been a base commander in Antarctica for the British Antarctic Survey, been awarded the US Polar Medal for his work with NASA and the Mars Lander project on Mt Erebus, Antarctica, and also received an award from the Royal Geographical Society. He reports for BBC News and has made live appearances on BBC Breakfast, BBC 24 News, Sky News and local TV news and has broadcasted extensively on BBC radio.

In Explore, Paul uses behind the scenes stories and footage from his television programmes to inspire the audience with his spirit of adventure and his passion for the environment. Paul asks the question ‘Why explore?’ - and then makes his audience want to explore themselves.

For tickets to the show, which cost £14 or £13 if booked online, call 334418 or go online.