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Over 200 new hours of thought-provoking, factual titles have been acquired for global audiences of Â鶹ԼÅÄ Knowledge, following the conclusion of significant new deals by Â鶹ԼÅÄ Worldwide Channels.

The programming slate is drawn from leading distributors ALL3MEDIA International, Endemol, and Zodiak Rights, and includes titles such as Genius¸ Secret Millionaire US, Joanna Lumley: Jewel In the Nile, Ross Kemp In The Middle East, Kevin McCloud’s Grand Tour and Derren Brown Investigates, set to premiere internationally from 2011.

Bun Scrase-Dickins, VP Acquisitions, Â鶹ԼÅÄ Worldwide Channels said of the deals: “We are committed to working with UK and international suppliers to source the best quality programmes for our international audiences. These represent only a fraction of the great content available in the market and we’re delighted to bring them to audiences through our localised channels.â€�

From Zodiak Rights comes Genius, featuring some of the world’s leading scientists including Stephen Hawking and David Attenborough. Historical series Lost Kingdoms of Africa and documentary-dramas The Queen and 1929: The Great Crash have also been acquired, along with Secret Millionaire US, adventure show Extreme Fishing With Robson Green and the observational documentary Trawlermen.

From Endemol, epic journey series Joanna Lumley: Jewel In the Nile, The Stephen Tompkinson Australian Balloon Adventure and The Stephen Tompkinson Great African Balloon Adventure have been acquired, along with aviation programmes Concorde’s Last Flight, How Safe Are Our Skies?: Detroit Flight 253 and Lost: The Mystery Of Flight 447.

Also acquired from Endemol are historical investigations Convoy, Turin Shroud: The New Evidence and WWI: Finding The Lost Battalions, along with Ross Kemp In The Middle East, Ross Kemp: Battle For The Amazon, Ross Kemp In Afghanistan and Ross Kemp On Gangs.

From ALL3MEDIA International, Derren Brown Investigates has been acquired, as well as historical investigations Britain’s African Emperor, Alexandria: The Greatest City and Pompeii: Cellar of Skeletons.

Also acquired from ALL3MEDIA International are The Private Life Of Pigs, The Private Life Of Cows and The Private Life Of Chickens.

The deals were brokered by Melanie Owen and Richard Acton, Acquisitions Managers, Â鶹ԼÅÄ Worldwide Channels.

More information on Â鶹ԼÅÄ Worldwide is available at MIPCOM stand #G3.40.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
Further Programme Information

Zodiak RightsÌý

Genius (5 x 50’) features extraordinary stories of human endeavour told by the world’s greatest living scientists - Stephen Hawking, David Attenborough, Richard Dawkins and James Dyson. (Territory premiere for Africa, Asia, Australia, Poland and the Nordic region from 2011)

Lost Kingdoms of Africa (4 x 60’) – This stunning and thought-provoking series reveals the extraordinary story of Africa’s ancient civilizations. Presented by historian and art expert, Dr Gus Casely-Hayford, this landmark series uncovers the forgotten history of pre-colonial Africa. Comparing modern Africa with the historic kingdoms, each film is a rich visual journey as Gus crosses the dramatic landscapes to discover the legacy of Africa’s past glory. (Territory premiere for Africa, and Poland from 2011)

Ground-breaking drama-documentary series The Queen (5 x 50’) dramatises the key turning points in the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II through a mixture of dramatised scenes, news archives and testimony from royal insiders.Ìý Five leading British actresses (Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn and Diana Quick) play the monarch at pivotal points in history. (Territory premiere for Africa from 2011)

1929: The Great Crash (1 x 60’) – Surviving eyewitnesses describe the biggest financial catastrophe in history:Ìý The Great Wall Street Crash. Over six terrifying, desperate days in October 1929, shares crashed by a third on the New York Stock Exchange. More than $25 billion in individual wealth was lost. Later, three thousand banks failed, taking people’s savings with them. The crash was followed by a devastating worldwide depression that lasted until the Second World War. Shares did not regain their pre-crash values until 1954. This is the story of a financial disaster that the world hoped could never happen again. (Territory premiere for Africa and Asia from 2011)

Over three series of Extreme Fishing With Robson Green (4 x 50’, 8 x 50’, 12 x 50’), the TV actor is on a mission to discover the weird, the wonderful and the way-off-limits of the fishing world. Chasing some of the most elusive and terrifying fish on the planet, Robson, a passionate fisherman, learns new tricks, hears old stories and eats pretty much everything he catches.

In series one (4 x 60’) Robson joins the Maleku tribe in Costa Rica, as they hunt the elusive machaca fish, a relative of the piranha. He also tries his hand at underwater spear fishing in Louisiana, USA and off reels in a hammerhead shark the coast of South Africa. Series two (8 x 60’) sees Robson catch fish in some of the most extreme places on the planet, from the edge of the Arctic, from the Australian wilderness to the Niagara Falls. Series three (12 x 60’) chronicles Robson's travels over four months, covering more than 60,000 miles in 14 different countries including India, Japan, Sri Lanka, Mexico and Brazil. (Territory premiere for Asia from 2011)

Trawlermen (5 x 30’, 5 x 30’, 5 x 30’, 3 x 60’) – Four series of the high octane, high adventure observational documentary series, follow the fortunes of crews who fish for everything from cod and haddock to prawns and monkfish, in some of the most dangerous waters around Britain. Setting sail from the historic harbour of Peterhead in Northeast Scotland, the crews battle the arctic waters of the North Sea and the North Atlantic, where 30 foot waves are commonplace and Force 10 storms an unremarkable event.Ìý (Territory premiere for Poland and Africa from 2011)

The Trawlermen Special (1 x 60’) offers further insight into the action-packed, emotional drama as men pit their wits against sea and nature to bring home food for our tables and wages for their families. Territory premiere for Africa from 2011)

Secret Millionaire US (6 x 50’), the award-winning philanthropic documentary experiment sees America’s wealthiest individuals leave their lavish lifestyles to go undercover in some of America’s most impoverished towns. Their job is to spend one week canvassing the town in search of truly deserving heroes. On the final day, the Secret Millionaires meet with the chosen recipients of their philanthropy and reveal their true identity and intention: to give them at least $100,000 of their own money and to change their lives forever. (Territory premiere for Poland from 2011. Series two will also air on Â鶹ԼÅÄ Knowledge in Africa and Asia, as well as on Â鶹ԼÅÄ Entertainment in Latin America)

Endemol

Joanna Lumley: Jewel In The Nile (4 x 50’) follows the actress and campaigner as she embarks on the trip of a lifetime; to follow the River Nile, the longest river in the world, from sea to source. On a four thousand mile journey, passing through Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Rwanda, Joanna revisits the romantic history of the Nile and talks with the people working and living on the river today. (Territory premiere for Africa from 2011)

In Stephen Tompkinson’s Great African Balloon Adventure (3 x 50’), his first hand experiences provide viewers with a colourful perspective on the amazing abundance and diversity of wildlife, but also the scarcity of some species, as he explores the relationship between Africa’s animalsÌý and its people. (Territory premiere for Africa from 2011)
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Stephen Tompkinson’s Great Australian Balloon Adventure (3 x 50’) follows Tompkinson’s new challenge as he travels to Australia with experienced balloon pilot Robin Bachelor to explore its rich and diverse landscape and wildlife.Ìý He also takes part in the country’s largest balloon competition, the Canowindra Balloon Challenge. (Territory premiere for Africa from 2011)ÌýÌýÌý

Concorde’s Last Flight (1 x 75’) tells the turbulent story of Concorde, the supersonic aviation icon whose reign was brought to a halt by the crash in Paris in 2000. The programme reveals new evidence of what may have caused the disaster. (Territory premiere for Africa and Poland from 2011)

How Safe Are Our Skies?: Detroit Flight 253 (1 x 60’) uses powerful eyewitness testimony and in-depth expert analysis to examine how alleged bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab slipped under the US intelligence radar and evaded three sets of airport security with an explosive strapped to his leg.Ìý The documentary also asks would have happened to the 290 passengers and crew on board if the bomb had been successfully detonated. What lessons have been learned? And, in the aftermath of this attack, how safe is it to fly? (Territory premiere for Asia from 2011)

Lost: The Mystery Of Flight 447 (1 x 50’) asks how one of the most advanced passenger jets in the world could vanish mid-flight. The disappearance of Air France Flight 447 – an Airbus A-330 – is one of aviation’s biggest mysteries. As investigation teams continue to search for the black-box and examine other pieces of wreckage for vital clues, Darlow Smithson has assembled its own team of internationally respected aviation experts, pilots and former air-crash investigators to find answers to these important questions. With exciting and revealing experiments at some of America’s leading research laboratories, cutting edge CGI and revelatory archive, the team will piece together what happened to Flight 447. (Territory premiere for Africa, Asia, Poland and the Nordic region from 2011)

Convoy (4 x 50’) tells the story of the merchant ships which were Britain’s crucial lifeline during World War Two. Carriers of vital goods across the Atlantic, these vessels were a prime target for German U-boats determined to destroy them in one of the longest and bloodiest campaigns of the war. (Territory premiere for Asia from 2011)

In WWI: Finding The Lost Battalions (1x 80’), three UK families investigate whether their relatives are amongst the remains of 250 soldiers found in unmarked graves near a village in northern France. (Territory premiere for Africa and Poland from 2011)

Turin Shroud: The New Evidence (1 x 50’) sets out to reveal the story behind one of most controversial relics in Christianity. Twenty years ago, carbon dating tests carried out on the Turin Shroud appeared to prove that the sacred cloth was made more than 1,200 years after Jesus died, shattering any scientific claim to its authenticity. But now, Darlow Smithson has gained exclusive access to new research that proves these findings were seriously flawed and presents compelling evidence that the Turin Shroud could, after all, bear the image of Christ. (Territory premiere for Asia from 2011)

Ross Kemp In The Middle East (2 x 50’) – With unprecedented access to all sides, this two-part series offers an insight into life in Gaza, and details the reality of living under the threat of terrorist attack in cities like Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Kemp explores the mindsets of the men behind the violence, and highlights the experiences of those trapped in the middle. (Territory premiere for Asia from 2011)

Ross Kemp: Battle For The Amazon (2 x 50’) – This two-part documentary looks into the socio-economic and environmental pressures facing the Amazon regions of Brazil and Ecuador, taking a closer look at the legacy of devastation created by a burgeoning global desire for energy, food and mineral resources. The documentary investigates how oil companies are affecting large tracts of the Amazon in a desire to satisfy the planets energy needs, how the turf wars that arise over cattle ranching and soy plantations have escalated; how the global demand for cocaine is leading to further deforestation and how the rise in the price of gold has meant that people are tearing up the rainforest as they seek to earn a living. (Territory premiere for Asia from 2011)

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ALL3MEDIA International

In Derren Brown Investigates (3 x 60’), the renowned psychological illusionist hits the road to investigate extraordinary paranormal claims from around the world. In the UK, he meets psychic medium Joe Power, who claims he can communicate with the dead, before travelling to America to find out if things really do go bump in the night, on a surprising investigation into the world of leading ghost hunter Lou Gentile.Ìý Finally, Brown explores one of the most ambitious claims, travelling to Holland to meet Russian Vyacheslav Bronnikov; creator of a psychic programme he alleges enables you to see without using your eyes. (Territory premiere for Africa and Poland from 201, as well as Â鶹ԼÅÄ Entertainment in the Nordic region)

Britain’s African Emperor (1 x 60’) reveals the thrilling story of how and why the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus marched into Scotland in 208AD with 40,000 men – one of the largest invasion armies Rome ever mobilised. Severus, an African, took Rome’s throne in a murderous civil war, then expanded the Empire to the south and east. He became the most powerful man in the world – the absolute ruler of Europe’s most glittering cities and commander of a terrifying war machine. His enemy in northern Britain didn’t possess a paved street, let alone an army. Severus marched north, confident that he would go down in history as the man who united the whole island under Roman rule – better than Hadrian and Julius Caesar. But the British were to give Severus the fight of his life… (Territory premiere for Africa and Poland from 2011)

Alexandria: The Greatest City (1 x 60’) looks at what was once the biggest and most influential city on the planet, founded by Alexander the Great and home to Cleopatra, Archimedes and the largest library in the world. Acclaimed historian Bettany Hughes explores how this shining beacon for civilisation and knowledge met its classical demise. She examines Alexandria, past and present, unearthing archaeological gems and following in the footsteps of Hypatia, the city’s last great female philosopher and guardian of great Library of Alexandria – whose murder would bring down the curtain not just on an era but on the ancient world as a whole. (Territory premiere for Africa and Poland from 2011)

Pompeii: Cellar of Skeletons (1 x 60’) – The eruption of Mount Vesuvius is examined as never before, including the massive earthquake which preceded it. After such a huge natural disaster, why did the people in the cellar ignore the warning signs and choose to stay in Pompeii? Presenter Don Wildman takes us on a forensic investigation that will change the way we see Pompeii forever. (Territory premiere for Africa from 2011)

Harriet Otoo