Joanna Lumley took part in a spell ceremony with a coven of white witches in Romania during travel series
Dame Joanna Lumley participated in a spell ceremony with a coven of white witches to "bring peace and ward off negativity".
The 79-year-old actress travels 1,770 miles along the River Danube for her new ITV travel series 'Joanna Lumley's Danube', visiting Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania and taking a detour to the Ukrainian border before reaching her final destination the Black Sea.
Whilst she was in Romania the former 'Absolutely Fabulous' star spent time with a group of white witches and after taking part in the ceremony Lumley was presented with an amulet which she was told would keep her safe on her trip.
In an interview with the Daily Express Saturday magazine, she shared: "They work with the elements - earth, air, water, fire - to bring peace and ward off negativity.
"They were so glamorous. They used masses of candles for their ceremony. The camera boys nearly died from the heat. Then they gave me an amulet to take me safely on the rest of my journey."
Whilst in Austria, Lumley met with with former Eurovision Song Contest winner Conchita Wurst - who won as Austria's entrant in 2014 with the song 'Rise Like a Phoenix' - and she also witnessed a performance by a troupe of homosexual lederhosen dancers which she was amazed by.
She said: "The lederhosen dancers were so unbelievably touching. It was a group made completely of middle-aged gay men, it was out of this world. They were amazing. Their kindness and inclusivity touched me very much.
"Thinking back to Austria and Germany's darkest times, where people were persecuted and sent to camps for being gay, suddenly here they are in the heart of Austria doing this fabulous dancing."
Joanna - who is married to composer Stephen Barlow - admits the journey left her amazed by how much beauty and wonder there is in the world.
She said: "It was a delight to see this magnificent river coming out of the ground at the source, a tiny little trickle, and then travelling her length. It was awesome.
"I did so much thinking and reflecting on how we neglect geography at our peril. The world is so full of marvels. Everything about this trip was eye-opening. It was terribly touching, very funny and extreme."
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