Discovery UK takes wraps off fall season

Discovery Networks UK has unveiled a new line-up including more original factual entertainment programming for its forthcoming fall 2007 season across its thematic channels.

Leading the charge is flagship Discovery Channel, which has increased UK-produced programmes to over 150 hours for the forthcoming season, boosted by a further 200 hours of Discovery US commissions from UK indies.

Headlining its fall 2007 line-up is the UK premiere of new episodes of Bear Grylls: Born Survivor, the successful 'high-octane' nature adventure series from Diverse Productions. The seven new shows follow Grylls through harsh environments as he rides on a single tree trunk on the Amazon rapids, eats a crucifix spider and skins a deer for shelter.

The two-part car-themed pilot Bangla Bangers, which aired in 2006, returns for a new 12-episode series, Chop Shop: Garage London, produced by Raw TV. Featuring Bernie Fineman and car customiser Leepu Awlia - now a big celebrity in South-east Asia - the series sees Leepu setting up a joint venture with mechanic Fineman in London's Brick Lane to create supercars from scrap.

Elsewhere in the Discovery stable, lifestyle channel Discovery Real Time launches a UK spin-off to its successful Miami Ink series. The six-part series, London Ink, produced by World of Wonder, shows celebrity tattooist Louis Malloy and right-hand man Dan Gold (who count David Beckham and Kate Moss among their clients) set up business in the heart of London. The original series, Miami Ink, also returns for a third season this autumn.

Beetle Crisis also returns to the channel, while DIY supremo Tommy Walsh fronts a new environmentally themed DIY series, Tommy Walsh's Eco House.

Over on Animal Planet, meanwhile, is the premiere of Ocean Voyager. The 70-minute feature-length high definition documentary from Off the Fence is shot entirely on location. Narrated by Meryl Streep, the film provides an intimate portrait of a newborn humpback whale and his 40-ton mother and their 7,000-mile journey to the feeding grounds of Antarctica.

Discovery Networks UK VP of production and development Dan Korn called the stable's new season one of its strongest ever, using some of the UK's top programme-makers.

Source: World Media

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