EXPLORER LEVISON WOOD TRAVELS SOUTH AMERICA FOR NEW CHANNEL 5 SERIES

5 has commissioned a brand-new series Levison Wood's South American Adventure produced by Blackmane Media. World-renowned explorer Levison Wood embarks for his most ambitious journey yet: four months, 10,000 miles across South America. 

Levison sets out from Venezuela’s lost worlds-like landscape and the spectacular Angel Falls, then pushes deep into the Amazon, over the high Andes and south through Patagonia to Tierra del Fuego. Along the way Levison and photographer and companion Alberto Cáceres, encounter extraordinary landscapes, ancient cultures, gold-mining frontiers, Indigenous cultures, extraordinary wildlife and communities fighting to protect the places they call home.

It is a journey across a continent of extremes, where breathtaking beauty sits alongside danger, ancient traditions meet the modern world, and every new landscape brings another adventure.

Levison begins his 10,000-mile journey in Venezuela, heading into Canaima National Park in search of Angel Falls, a lifelong dream. After five hours by boat and a punishing jungle hike in 40-degree heat, he finally reaches the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall before taking to the air for a breathtaking view from above. But beyond the beauty, Venezuela is becoming increasingly unpredictable...

Then Levison ventures deep into the Brazilian Amazon, taking part in an intense ayahuasca ceremony before witnessing the devastating impact of illegal gold mining in Peru and travelling on to the Inca ruins of Cusco and Machu Picchu.

In Bolivia, he joins the famous Cholitas wrestlers, tackles the treacherous Death Road and climbs to 6,000 metres with the Cholitas Escaladoras, before descending into the dangerous mines of Cerro Rico. As he heads south, Levison crosses Argentina’s high-altitude Puna de Atacama, embraces the life of a gaucho and travels deep into Patagonia, witnessing the aftermath of wildfires, exploring Welsh culture in Trevelin and trekking to the Perito Moreno Glacier. 

Crossing into Chile and back to Argentina, he discovers how pumas are returning to the wilds of Patagonia and learns the tragic history of the Selk'nam people before finally reaching Tierra del Fuego and the end of his 10,000-mile journey at the remote Mitre Peninsula. The so called ‘end of the world' right on the tip of this extraordinary continent. 

Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning, 5 said: “This is an extraordinary journey, with an extraordinary adventurer as companion. Epic and close up at the same time, it’s a feast for the eyes. Levison’s insight and the empathy with those he meets make it a very special piece of travel journalism.”

Levison Wood comments: “It’s really exciting to bring my adventures to a 5 audience. This is a journey I’ve wanted to make for nearly a decade, across one of the most diverse and extraordinary continents on Earth. There was real danger and plenty of chaos along the way, but what stayed with me most were the remarkable people we met and the stories they shared. It was one of the most varied, unpredictable and exhilarating adventures I’ve ever had.”

Series Producer & Director, Reza Pakravan added: “Levison has brought some of the most exciting adventure programming to television. For him, raw adventure and authenticity always come first, which is why viewers connect with him so instinctively. This was an ambitious production, and every crew member was selected not only for their filmmaking expertise, but also for their ability to endure the gruelling journey alongside him. That shared experience allowed us to capture the adventure at its rawest and most authentic, creating unforgettable moments on screen.”

Barnaby Shingleton, SVP of Acquisitions at Blue Ant Rights & Streaming, said: "Blue Ant has distributed Levison Wood's previous adventures for many years and this latest journey is particularly epic. Levison takes audiences to some of the most iconic locations in South America, but he also shows us hidden parts of the continent far off the beaten track. Finding authentic stories in extraordinary places is Levison's expertise and we're excited to be sharing his latest travails with global audiences.”

The series is distributed internationally by Blue Ant who will launch it at MIPCOM this month.