A COMEDIAN in a vintage camper van has explored the Pembrokeshire coast for a national television programme being shown this week.

Susan Calman's Grand Day Out is a six-part Channel 5 series in which she travels around the UK visiting scenic locations including the Lake District, the Cotswolds and the Yorkshire Dales.

In Susan Calman's Grand Day Out on the Welsh Coast, being shown at 8pm this Friday, February 5, Susan and her trusty camper van Helen begin their 130-mile road trip in Cardigan.

Her first visit is to the River Teifi where she’s invited to paddle a coracle, then it’s on to Pembrokeshire's Blue Lagoon for a spot of cliff jumping and her first dip in the sea since she was a child.

Next, Susan samples the Welsh seaweed delicacy laverbread at south Pembrokeshire's Broad Haven beach, and travels via Tenby to Laugharne.

There she visits the Boathouse home of Dylan Thomas and chats to Maggie James of the Laugharne Players amateur dramatic group.

Finally, she hits Pendine Sands - the home of many world land speed record attempts, and where camper van Helen has permission to try her own record attempt.

This was the first visit to Pembrokeshire for former lawyer Susan, who hails from Glasgow.

And she said:

"I was blown away by the beauty of south-west Wales – I’d never been there before and the beaches were extraordinary.

"I was filming there in late September and the weather was amazing. I’d like to head back as soon as I possibly can and take my wife [lawyer Lee Cormack] swimming in the Blue Lagoon."

Susan confessed to the Radio Times that this was the first time she had swim in the sea since she was eight years old.

"I was shown the film Jaws far too young and developed an unhealthy fear of the sea," she revealed. But when you look at the beautiful Blue Lagoon, you’ve got to have a go. I’m not sure I’d jump in the water again, though…

"I was terrified, but I was very proud of myself for doing it because it was a big deal for me. Because of Covid, I had to film myself at the same time with a GoPro camera, and was aware of the fact that if I accidentally switched it off we’d lose the footage – and I wasn’t doing that again!

"I'm a very nervous lady, but there’s something really nice about challenging yourself, and the crew make me feel very safe."