Paddy and Chris: Road Tripping

In episode one, Paddy and Chris head to Sweden, one of the healthiest and most outdoorsy places on earth. They face off their 50 years of age and classic midlife tropes by plunging straight into mastering the art of the Nordic mindset of ‘friluftsliv', which means getting back to nature and embracing the great outdoors. Swedes swear by ‘friluftsliv' to restore body confidence, calm stress levels and ultimately improve mental health.

Paddy and Chris sweat it out in a Swedish sauna, where all the men are an average age of 70 and let it all hang out as naked as the day they were born. They train primal-style with a diehard Swedish 50-year-old in a 'forest gym' and play the national team sport of ice hockey - although neither have been on ice since they were boys. There is also some fairground rollercoaster joy, all with the perfect excuse of having fun and helping to turn back the clock.

Along the way, there is banter in their classic, old Volvo, stunning stop-offs, truly breathtaking scenery and some proper soul-searching from the old mates.

No Swedish midlife trip is complete without friendly and flashy boys toys, such as a hydrofoil Candela boat, or fishing for and eating a Swedish delicacy – golden seaweed, which is a Swedish health food. There is also a big man versus nature challenge at the end with a stunning but arduous hike on a remote island, followed by an ice-cold swim across a lake for final reflections and some Swedish ‘fire water' around a firepit.

The question is, when push comes to shove, how are their stress levels and body confidence, and can they step away from their hectic, daily lives to fully connect with nature and get the reboot they need?

For the second leg of their European health adventure middle aged mates Paddy McGuiness and Chris Harris touch down on the rocky Greek island of Ikaria, nicknamed the island of longevity. One in three Ikarians live well into their 90's, ten years more than most people in the UK and Paddy and Chris are on a mission to find out how.

In the Highland Plateau they meet a typical Ikarian family who embody the simple way of life and are set to work earning their self-sufficiency stripes, with Chris milking goats and Paddy set to work putting up fences. In the South of the Island they go fishing with Stavros, a 75-year-old fisherman who has no plans to ever retire.

When it comes to de-stressing the island has it all – including surf. Novice surfers Chris and Paddy hit the waves for a stress busting surfing session that's more wipe out than Hawaii 5 0. Having de-stressed the lads have a night out Ikarian style – much to Paddy's disappointment is less Bacardi Breezers and more Backgammon. Playing board games like Backgammon are thought to keep the brain healthier for longer. Chris tries to teach Paddy but his patience wears thin and he takes on the locals instead…

For their penultimate day on the island Paddy has a challenge up his sleeve designed to test their mettle, get them out of their comfort zone and build their mental resilience. Rock climbing! With a fear of heights is this a challenge too far for Chris.

On their final day on the island sees Chris and Paddy head to the hills on scooters and join one of the island's famous village parties – a Panigiri. After a feast and being welcomed by the locals, Paddy decides to give something back with a game from home – Bingo. Luckily he doesn't travel anywhere without his bingo balls…

For their final journey, Paddy and Chris are heading to Switzerland to explore its multi-million-pound wellness industry.

In this episode, the lads travel to one of the country's top wellness resorts for a full body MOT to assess how well they're ageing. After a consultation with specialists, they're put through a rigorous training programme that reveals their true biological ages, surprising them both.

Paddy, also eager to address his thinning hair, travels to Zurich to a men-only clinic to explore available treatments. Will he be able to turn back the clock and reinstate his crowning glory?

Although Switzerland has a wide array of anti-ageing procedures, the lads quickly learn that shortcuts are helpful, but they can't neglect the basics of living a healthy life. So, for their final challenge, they join cycling legend Fabian Cancellara for a heart-pumping ride through the scenic Swiss countryside, including part of the tour de Suisse.