Swimming with beluga whales, chilling with polar bears, playing with penguins; it’s all in a day’s work for Doug Allan, one of the most experienced Arctic cameramen in the world.

Described by Sir David Attenborough as “the toughest in the business”, Doug has filmed scenes for some of the best-known wildlife documentaries, including Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Human Planet, Life, Ocean Giants and most recently the BBC’s smash hit Frozen Planet.

And this February he is coming to Epsom Playhouse to talk about his adventures and share the secrets behind some of his most stunning shots.

Doug Allan, one of only a select group of people to have won two Polar medals, is starting his tour around the country as soon as he returns from his latest expedition, and says he is excited to meet the fans of the shows.

He says: “What’s great about talking face to face is that it’s my chance to bring people right in behind the scenes. It’s like live TV only better.”

An award-winning Polar photographer for the past 25 years, he has taken on a wide range of jobs in the past ranging from freshwater pearl diving to building canals in Germany.

He is looking forward to sharing his adventures in both the Arctic and the Antarctic; from being poked by a polar bear in his sleep to getting dragged underwater by a starving walrus.

A must for anyone who has ever wondered how Frozen Planet was filmed, Allan will also be selling copies of his recently released book, Freeze Frame, a collection of photographs and stories about his favourite wildlife encounters.

q Doug Allan – Life Behind the Lens, Epsom Playhouse, Ashley Avenue, Epsom, February 22.

Visit epsomplayhouse.co.uk or call 01372 742555.