Paltrow to make Spain TV series

Paltrow in the Spanish capital before embarking on her journey

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow has started filming a US television series about the food and culture of Spain.

The Oscar-winning star will travel the country with three companions in a fleet of cars for the programme, due to air in the US next autumn.

Paltrow and the other participants are said to be unaware of the itinerary planned by producer Charles Pinsky.

"I don't know what we are going to do, but it is going to be fun," said Paltrow at a press launch in Madrid.

Fluent

Cameras will capture the travellers as they visit restaurants, museums and other Spanish attractions during the 13-part series, entitled Spain... On The Road Again.

A series of miniature car-mounted cameras will film their reaction as they travel around the country for up to four months.

Paltrow added that she would tuck into Spain's rice and fish dishes during the tour.

The 35-year-old, who won a best actress Oscar for 1998's Shakespeare In Love, is fluent in Spanish after living with a family in the country as a teenage student.

She will be travelling with New York Times food critic Marc Bittman, chef Mario Batali and Spanish actress Claudia Bassols.

The programme will be screened on the PBS network in the US in both English and Spanish, while deals to show the serial in Spain and Latin America are being negotiated.