PBS MID-SEASON FINALE ALERT: TUNE IN OR STREAM
EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL– MID-SEASON FINALE
EPISODE #6: “BHUTAN: WHITE WATER”
PREMIERES: WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 10:00-11:00 P.M. ET
INSIDE LOOK AT EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
(Photo Credit: True to Nature, Ltd.)
Episode #6 Clips:
A Buddhist Tradition: https://youtu.be/QvwKzVcII9M
Fighting the Rapids: https://youtu.be/Itehj1Ql7RI
Episode 6 Description: Join Steve Backshall on his quest to kayak the last unrun river in Bhutan.
The team arrives in the remote Bhutanese town of Trashigang to a feast of light and color – the local people perform masked dances to celebrate the life of Guru Rinpoche, the 8th-century Buddhist master. Having greeted the monks in Trashigang fortress, the team start their journey into the foothills of the Himalayas. Once they reach the road head, the team must continue on foot, loading their kit onto waiting mules. There’s only one way to transport the kayaks – each team member must carry his or her own.
The Kulong Chu river is uncharted – these jungle valleys are home to dhole (Asian wild dogs), binturong (Asian bearcats), clouded leopard, and a host of venomous snakes and spiders, but the animal that Steve hopes to find is the tiger. All of Bhutan is potentially tiger range country. As the team makes their way through virgin territory, Steve keeps a close eye out for tracks. If he finds evidence of them, it will be a new discovery and of vital importance to the Global Tiger Recovery Program.
PBS’s new 10-episode series EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL reveals there are still parts of our planet yet to be discovered. Explorer and naturalist Steve Backshall pursues incredible journeys and world firsts — unclimbed peaks, unexplored cave systems and uncharted landscapes — setting foot where no human has been before. EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL premieres Wednesdays at 10:00 p.m. ET on PBS (check local listings), PBS.org and the PBS Video App.
In this global series, adventurer and naturalist. Steve Backshall ventures into undiscovered territory, endures extreme physical challenges, encounters extraordinary wildlife and teams up with remarkable people along the way. From free-diving in underground river systems and descending deep into the caves of the Maya underworld, to kayaking Himalayan whitewater and scaling unclimbed Arctic peaks, these expeditions push Backshall and his expert crew to the limit.
FUTURE EPISODES:
Episode 7: Greenland – Ice Mountain
Mid-Season Premiere: Wednesday, May 6, 2020, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET — World’s First: First ascent of an unclimbed summit in Greenland’s remotest peaks.
Description: Climb alongside Steve Backshall as he attempts to summit an unclimbed mountain in Greenland.
Episode 8: Mexico – Maya Underworld
Premieres: Wednesday, May 13, 2020, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
World’s First: Exploration of a new dry cave to reveal how jaguars inhabit the caves of the Yucatan.
Description: Return to Mexico with Steve Backshall as he discovers Mayan secrets within subterranean caves.
Episode 9: Suriname – Ghost River
Premieres: Wednesday, May 20, 2020, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
World’s First: First descent of an uncharted river.
Description: Ride along as Steve Backshall kayaks a Surinamese river that’s so remote, it doesn’t have a name.
Episode 10: Oman – Desert Fortress
Premieres: Wednesday, May 27, 2020, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET
World’s First: First ascent of an unclimbed desert rock face.
Description: Visit Oman’s Dhofar Mountains, where Steve Backshall encounters one of Earth’s rarest animals.
For more information on EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL, visit www.pbs.org. Viewers are also encouraged to engage in online conversation about the series by tagging @PBS and using #ExpeditionPBS on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Episodes of EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL began streaming on January 15, 2020 on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS Video App, available on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast. PBS station members may view all episodes via Passport (contact local PBS station for details). The series is also available on DVD from PBS Distribution at shop.PBS.org, and for digital download.
EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL is a True to Nature Production distributed by FremantleMedia International for PBS. Bill Margol is Executive in Charge for PBS. The series is executive produced by Wendy Darke. EXPEDITION WITH STEVE BACKSHALL was commissioned by BBC and UKTV, with funding for the PBS presentation provided by public television viewers.
About Steve Backshall
Steve Backshall, BAFTA-winning adventurer and wildlife expert, is an experienced and unparalleled natural history producer and presenter. He is hugely popular with young television audiences who are both terrified and delighted to watch his encounters with extraordinary and inspiring predators. Steve is an old-fashioned action hero whose leisure pursuits include mountaineering, kayaking, scuba diving, martial arts and endurance running, which together with his unsurpassed wildlife knowledge, make him a compelling and motivational speaker for a multitude of audiences. In 2011, Steve was recognized with a BAFTA for The Best Children’s Television Presenter for his work on Deadly 60, as well as the series itself being honored with a BAFTA for The Best Factual Series. Steve was also an on-air correspondent for the PBS and BBC co-production, BIG BLUE LIVE, which won the BAFTA for a Live Event in 2016. Steve is also a prolific author, having published 13 books, and is a proud ambassador for The Scouts and the Get Outside champion for Ordinance Survey.
