Julia Bradbury broke down in tears while filming for a new ITV series, in which the super-fit former Countryfile star climbed hills and admired the beautiful snow scenery. The moment she reached Paradise Harbour on the western tip of Antarctica was poignant for the presenter, who was diagnosed with cancer five years ago and underwent a mastectomy. She shared: "That's when the tears started to roll down my face. After a breast cancer diagnosis and mastectomy in 2021, I didn't think I'd ever be brave enough to leave the safety of my home and family to do something like this again.

'I was so weak physically, and so emotionally raw, that the idea of testing myself, of making this kind of TV show and being so far away from my partner and our children seemed impossible. "

During the emotional moment, Bradbury was asked if the cameras should stop rolling, but insisted they carry on, as she wanted to tell her truth.

She added to MailOnline: "The sky was pink in the Antarctic summer, there were icebergs on the horizon and a solitary humpback whale, idling about and blowing spouts. I was sitting there thinking, "When I'm old, this is something I want to tell my grandchildren about..." and that made me realise that I was living my second life, the one after cancer, to the full."

In Julia Bradbury's Wonders Of The Frozen South, the presenter will explore the world's last great wilderness across three episodes.

Episode 1 airs on Saturday, February 15, Episode 2 follows on Saturday, February 22, and the final episode airs on Saturday, March 1. Each programme documents a different stage of the expedition, building towards the arrival on the Antarctic Peninsula.

The 54-year-old, who was best known for presenting BBC One's Countryfile, was diagnosed with breast cancer after a year and a half of tests and said that a new study, which concluded women with very dense breasts should be offered additional scans, "could not come soon enough".

Bradbury, who is a mum of three children, said she "found a lump" when she was travelling and got it checked. After having a mammogram, Bradbury said she was "advised there was nothing to worry about".

She added: "I was sitting in the chair, about to leave the office with my consultant. He said I am going to give you another ultrasound before you leave. Thank goodness I had that consultant."