Explorers discover the history of lost Vikings in new television show

A still image from an episode of “Quest for the Lost Vikings.” (Super Channel/Farpoint Distribution)

A new documentary travel series, produced in Manitoba, is taking a deep dive into the history of Vikings and their connection to the Americas.

The eight-episode series titled “Quest for the Lost Vikings” is hosted by two real-life explorers, Johann Sigurdson and David Collette.

Sigurdson, who is from the Interlake Region, said his interest in Vikings began through his grandfather, who grew up on a farm in Iceland.

“We have a long history of Viking stories… A tight connection with Iceland,” he said in an interview with Your Morning Winnipeg on Wednesday.

“We always have been interested in where they went, what did they do, how long they were here, and when they came.”

On the show, viewers can watch Sigurdson and Collette uncover the truth about Viking exploration while traveling to Berens River, Bloodvein, Minnesota, and beyond.

The series also looks at Farley Mowat’s books, including “Westviking” and “The Curse of the Viking Grave,” as well as the work of Canadian explorer Vilhjalmur Stefansson.

“We went and tracked Indigenous oral history, local stories, the stories around the Kensington Runestone. We looked at all those things,” Sigurdson said.

“We’ve been doing this a long time, and we found things that we weren’t really already aware of.”

Sigurdson said he’s been researching the history of Vikings for more than 20 years, adding that exploration and adventure are in his DNA.

“We’re on the tracks of our ancestors,” he said. “We’re tracing the story of our ancestors.”

“Quest for the Lost Vikings” premiered on Super Channel on Jan. 4.

• With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagacé