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A+E Networks UK and Honey Bee dive for British History with Ross Kemp

A photograph of Ross Kemp in front of a shipwreck

Ross Kemp, host of Ross Kemp: Shipwreck Treasure Hunter

LONDON: A+E Networks® UK has commissioned Honey Bee in association with Freshwater Films to co-produce a 4x60’ factual entertainment series with Motion Content Group, presented by Ross Kemp, called: Ross Kemp: Shipwreck Treasure Hunter (w/t) for Sky HISTORY.

 

The new series, which will be the first UK commission from Honey Bee and Freshwater Films for Sky HISTORY and is due to premiere in Spring 2022, is a very personal quest for Ross. His grandfather, 'Pop' Chalmers, was in the Merchant Marines during World War II and was shipwrecked and survived three times. Pop's two cousins (Ross' first cousins twice removed) both served and died aboard HMS Hood when it went into battle against the mighty Bismarck. The young brothers were stationed at Scapa Flow and departed on the HMS Hood to intercept the Bismarck before being sunk. His dives to these wrecks is a long-held ambition to reach back into his own familial past, as much as it is a captivating and perilous adventure in its own right.

 

For the series, Ross Kemp will be joined by expert diver Emily Turton and maritime archaeologist and expert diver Mallory Haas on expeditions to the most spectacular shipwrecks in the UK, uncovering hidden treasures and history from Britain’s past.

 

The team travel across the UK to dive in extremely hazardous environments to discover the secrets that lie beneath the sea. Ross will dive on WWI and WWII wrecks like the warship SMS Karlsruhe and SS Tabarka; a British submarine and the Iona II and an American Civil War ‘gun runner’ lost in mysterious circumstances in the Bristol Channel.

Mallory will show Ross a recently uncovered wreck, its identity, if proven, will put Ross at the centre of an archaeological discovery that would shed new light on one of the most sinister and suppressed chapters in British history.

 

For Ross to undertake these perilous dives, he had to complete an advanced HSE scuba diving course to become a fully qualified diver in the 2 months leading up to the beginning of filming.

 

Ross Kemp said: “Every shipwreck I’ve dived on has had a story to tell, tales that echo from our past into the present. They speak to us of bravery, sacrifice, and progress but also of cruelty and heartbreak. I have discovered the impact the sea has had not only on my own family but also on world history. It’s been challenging; it’s been emotional, but it’s also been lots of fun. There are plenty more shipwrecks in the ocean and I can’t wait to dive on them.”

 

The series is commissioned and executive produced by Dan Korn, VP of Programming at A+E Networks UK, with Diana Carter, Commissioning Editor and Head of Talent at A+E Networks UK.

 

Dan Korn said: “We’re delighted to be working with Ross Kemp, Honey Bee, Motion Content Group and Freshwater Films. The series not only captures the incredible history submerged around the British Isles and waiting to be discovered, but Ross’s passion for and personal connection with the subject matter really shines through.”

 

Ross Kemp: Shipwreck Treasure Hunter is co-produced by Honey Bee and Motion Content Group in association with Freshwater Films for the A+E Networks UK channel Sky HISTORY. Johnny McDevitt (Britain’s Tiger Kings: On the Trail with Ross Kemp) is series director, Sam Taplin (Greatest Events of WWII in ColourDrain the Ocean, and Titanic: The New Evidence) is series producer and executive producers for Honey Bee are Ed Taylor and Ros Edwards, executive producer for Freshwater Films is Ross Kemp and executive producer for Motion Content Group is Martin Oxley.

 

Ed Taylor said: “We are very excited to be pairing up with A+E Networks UK, Ross Kemp and Motion Content Group to unlock the secrets of Britain’s history beneath our seas.”

 

Martin Oxley said: “With Shipwreck Treasure Hunter, we’ll be embarking on a demanding and exciting set of underwater treks where the history and the challenge of getting to it will be both exciting and poignant. We’re thrilled to be working with Ross, Honey Bee and A+E Networks UK on the series.”

 

Ross Kemp: Shipwreck Treasure Hunter is in production and is set to broadcast on Sky HISTORY in the Spring of 2022.

 

SKY HISTORY is available on Sky 123, Virgin 270, Talk Talk 327 and NOW. For more go to www.SkyHISTORY.co.uk or visit FacebookTwitterInstagram and YouTube.

 

ENDS

For more information please contact:

David Clifton at A+E Networks UK on David.Clifton@aetn.co.uk / 07715 799 967

 

Editor’s Notes

  • Hashtag: #ShipwreckTreasureHunter
  • Show page: history.co.uk/shows/ross-kemp-shipwreck-treasure-hunter
  • SKY HISTORY is available on Sky 123, Virgin 270, Talk Talk 327 and streaming service NOW.
  • Clips, viewing materials and images to be provided on request when available.
  • Interview access available depending on availability.

 

About Sky HISTORY

Sky HISTORY is the flagship brand of the A+E Networks® UK portfolio which is made up of true crime channel Crime + Investigation®; Sky HISTORY2® and free to air channel BLAZE®. Sky HISTORY is available in the UK on Sky, Virgin, Talk Talk and on streaming service NOW. www.SkyHistory.co.uk

 

About A+E Networks UK

A+E Networks® UK, a joint venture between Hearst and Sky, is a leading media network reaching 58 million homes across 100 countries. With our global portfolio of popular, high-performing and creative brands - HISTORY®, Crime+Investigation®, HISTORY2® and UK free-to-air BLAZE® - we have entertained and inspired audiences for over 20 years; telling the stories that need to be told. We complement our programming with innovative, talent-led exclusive digital content and top-rated podcasts. We currently partner with over 360 operators broadcasting throughout the Nordics, Benelux, Central Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We have offices in London, Warsaw, and Johannesburg. www.aenetworks.tv

 

About Honey Bee TV

Honey Bee is a fully independent, regional production company. We make unscripted popular factual television programmes for the UK and US – this includes making specialist factual programmes that are broad and accessible, observational documentaries with great characters and access to different precincts and institutions, drama documentaries that re-tell stories from the past and biopics that delve into the lives of those who have changed the world. We strongly embrace diversity on and off screen, and our track record on this stands out as one of the best in the industry. We have a strong environmental ethos. We are named after the bees that live in our three beehives located onsite. A percentage of our profits go to the World Bee Project: http://worldbeeproject.org/

 

About Motion Content Group

Motion Content Group funds, develops, produces, and distributes both original and third-party premium content to create value and opportunities for its partners and advertisers. Working with the world’s leading talent, producers and distributors, Motion aims to support the editorial, creative and commercial requirements of over 200 networks and platforms.  Headquartered in London and Los Angeles, Motion currently operates in over 30 countries worldwide and has a broad range of award-winning programming distributed globally. Motion Content Group is part of GroupM, the world’s leading full-service media investment management operation, a WPP company. Follow Motion on Twitter: @motion_content, Instagram: @MotionContentGroup and LinkedIn.