UKTV has partnered with the BBC and FremantleMedia on a new prime-time adventure series, marking the first partnership of its kind between UKTV and the BBC.
Expedition with Steve Backshall will follow the adventurer, his team of experts and his film crew as they venture into uncharted territory.
The show itself will feature a number of world firsts, including the first descent of a white-water river in the Himalayas; trekking through unexplored jungle in South America; and climbing mountains in the deserts of the Middle East.
Made by True to Nature, the first four, hour-long episodes will premiere on BBC Two in 2019. Dave will then premiere six exclusive episodes later in the year followed by its own versions of the BBC’s episodes. FremantleMedia International has secured global distribution rights.
“This is a truly innovative commissioning model that forges an exciting new partnership between two of Britain’s leading free to air broadcasters,” said Richard Watsham, UKTV’s director of commissioning. “The fact that both the BBC and Fremantle want to invest in Expedition is a testament to the spectacular scale of this project.
“Our strategy to raise UKTV Originals to new heights is gathering pace. Steve Backshall has a huge fan base amongst Dave viewers of all ages and I can’t wait to see how the incredible trust and companionship of Steve’s expert team combine to achieve a number of newsworthy world firsts.”
