Martin Compston knows a thing or two about the Arbroath smokie.
In his 2022 BBC Scotland series Martin Compston’s Scottish Fling, he got hands on to help a fifth generation smoker prepare the local delicacy on the atmospheric Auchmithie beach.
But in his new series Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling, the Greenock-raised Line of Duty star discovers that our Viking neighbours across the North Sea have their own version of the delicacy.
Only instead of smoked haddock, their take on it involves smoked sheep’s head!
“One of the weirdest things we tried on our trip was Smalahove, which translates into sheep’s heid,” reveals Martin, in conversation with The Courier.
“It is a whole sheep’s heid – teeth and everything.
“But they smoke it – cure it in the same kind of way the Arbroath smokies were done on our trip to the east of Scotland in the first series.
“No disrespect to Norway but I think as a delicacy, Arbroath smokies have the edge.
“It is their culture and you always have to respect that and I’m all for tradition.
“But just looking at that sheep’s heid was turning my stomach, though it maybe wasn’t as bad tasting as I’d expected.”
Martin Compston says Dundee folk are a ‘total law unto themselves’
When it comes to the origins of the Arbroath smokie, no one can say for certain where this method of preparing fish first came from.
However, the generally accepted story is that it came across with Scandinavian settlers, during the time of Viking activity along the coasts of Scotland.
Reflecting on this confluence of history ahead of the first episode of the new six part BBC Scotland series airing on February 22, Martin laughs that when making the first series, it reinforced for him that Dundee folk are a “total law unto themselves”.
The former professional footballer turned actor reminisced about his first away game as a Celtic football fan to Dens Park.
Dundee United is his favourite away game, he remembered. He also laughed about sharing a London flat with The View singer Kyle Falconer a few years ago. The “experience” “took years off” his life.
He has now covered 2000 miles exploring modern Norway for Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling, again with pal Phil MacHugh.
The trip has led him to conclude Norwegians are not dissimilar to Dundonians. They have a “law unto themselves thing going on too”.
While the Arbroath smokie might have “the edge” over smoked sheep’s head, however, when it comes to celebrating Norway’s National Day, he thinks the Norwegians could take the prize over Scots and their celebration of St Andrew’s Day.
St Andrew’s Day could ‘learn from Norway’, says Martin Compston
“I kind of hate to say this,” Martin goes on to tell The Courier, “but I think Norwegians could show Scots a thing or two when it comes to celebrating their National Day.
“St Andrew’s Day doesn’t really have quite the same sense of celebration about it.
“In Bergen, it looked to us that just about everyone was out at the parade, participating in some way, and there was so much going on, including pipe bands featuring Scots and people from other countries like Poland.
“Just amazing.
“Very emotional and there was a lot of pride on show, but it wasn’t aggressive.
“It had a nice vibe to it.
“It was just people taking a pride and having a lovely time.
“I understand St Andrews – the town – does some stuff to celebrate it, which I’ll maybe need to check out some time.
“But elsewhere there’s not much to show for it.”
It’s a view shared by fellow presenter Phil MacHugh who feels that the Scots can be a “bit more buttoned up about this kind of thing”.
“You just can’t really imagine Scots doing this on St Andrew’s Day in the same kind of way,” adds Phil.
“And I’m not sure what we’d particularly wear to celebrate Scotland’s patron saint given kilts are synonymous with every other celebration going.
“In Norway of course, Martin and myself got dressed up in the national costume, the nifty wee three-piece suit, which while I’ll say it was perhaps not the most stylish thing I’ve ever worn, but I kind of enjoyed it anyway.”
What’s the format of Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling?
Building on the success of Martin Compston’s Scottish Fling, Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling follows a similar road trip format with a mix of factual exploration, music and banter.
Featuring a spectacular trip of almost 2,000 miles the length and breadth of Norway from Oslo to the North Arctic, they take in some dramatic remote scenery and unexpected urban exploits.
The duo immerse themselves in modern Norway, sometimes literally and get under the skin of what it means to be Scandi.
Their adventures this time around range from roller-skiing to zip-lining down a sky jump towering in the sky on the outskirts of Oslo.
@bbc_scotland Martin and Phil are back for an epic fling in the fjords! Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling – coming to BBC iPlayer on Thursday 22nd February. #MartinCompston #PhilMacHugh #Norway #NorwegianFling #MartinCompstonsNorwegianFling
They end up on stage and crowd-surf at a Black Metal concert.
Martin even gets up close with a wolf, which, they promise, has to be “seen to be believed”.
As before, this series sees Martin doing the driving and both belting out ‘the tunes’.
Over six episodes, the friends ‘enjoy’ a dip in the water after a hot sauna, revel in an outdoor jacuzzi, and are ‘all at sea’ for a day of North Sea oil rig and helicopter safety training and for a day as deck hands on a fishing boat.
They greatly enjoyed the variety of experiences.
But for Martin, the North Sea oil industry connections struck a particular chord.
Exploring North Sea fishing, Peterhead and family connections to oil industry
“My dad worked on the rigs, so I’m fascinated by all that stuff.”.
“And of course we went to Aberdeen in the first series, so it was amazing to ‘jump over the pond’ as it were and see the oil industry from the perspective of the other side of the North Sea in Norway.
“I loved it – the whole physicality of it.
“Norway did feel very different from Scotland but then sometimes a connection would surprise you – like going to Ålesund and finding out it is twinned with Peterhead.
“I didn’t think they looked alike.
“But I think both Ålesund and Peterhead know what it is like to experience some pretty cold weather.”
Phil agreed, adding: “It was a bit surreal being in Ålesund and knowing it is twinned with a Scottish town.
“Peterhead people should definitely take up any offer they get to go to their Norwegian twin.
“I think they would find it interesting – though they should watch our series first to get the gen on it.”
When to view Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling
The first episode of Martin Compston’s Norwegian Fling broadcasts first on BBC Scotland on February 22 at 10pm, with all six episodes available on BBC iPlayer from that date.
The BBC will show the programme across the UK on BBC Two at 9pm on February 23.
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