Revved Up and Ready to Go: Charley Boorman’s South African Adventure hits TV screens this autumn
- New four-part series launches on Channel 5 this autumn
- Press premiere Tuesday 23 October in London
- Charley Boorman’s African Adventure leads billing at Adventure Film Festival gala night (London, Thursday 1 November)
- Images: http://bit.ly/Vh127x
- For media interviews, press trip opportunities or to attend either of the events above contact:
Susannah.Glynn@kallaway.com; 020 7221 7883
Jack.Hickmott@kallaway.com; 020 7221 7883
Charley Boorman returns to our screens this autumn for a new four-part series which sees the actor and adventurer experience South Africa like never before.
For Charley Boorman’s African Adventure, which will air on Channel 5, he pairs up with seasoned producer and director Russ Malkin as they undertake an epic 6,000-mile motorbike adventure.
Starting with a journey around South Africa’s southernmost coastline the pair then traverse the whole country, exploring the frontier with Mozambique, Botswana and Namibia and ending with a journey down the West coast of the continent to complete an entire circuit of the South Africa border – having collected a bevy of fellow bikers along the way.
The series captures a journey of extremes. In the north, Charley learns to live off the parched land of the vast and remote Kalahari desert, staying among the bush tribesmen who survive there every day. He also gets to grips with the majestic - yet incredibly precarious - Sani Pass, where he has to navigate almost impassable roads to reach the icy peak. In the south, Charley and Russ take to the spectacular Garden Route along the coast, bash their way through the thick Kruger flora, and come face-to-face with awe-inspiring animals in the heart of the bush, including wild elephants and rhinoceros.
Throughout their journey, Charley and Russ experience the dangers, the wonders, the history and the life of South Africa. From cage diving with deadly Great White Sharks in the rough Atlantic seas to cooking a braai with local residents to celebrate Mandela Day, the six-week adventure provided Charley with some of his greatest challenges yet as he attempted to get under the skin of what makes this astonishing country so unique.
Charley Boorman commented: "I fell in love with South Africa the very first time I came here. The country is one of the most beautiful places on earth: rich in gastronomy, adventure opportunities and fantastic people. I feel so privileged and excited to have been able to return to really explore it further and to spend time with the fantastic people. There's also no better way to end a trip than with a massive convoy of bikes as we rode into Cape Town!"
Lungi Morrison, South Africa Tourism, says: “Those who followed Charley’s expeditions before know he loves adventure and that South Africa has plenty to offer. This fun and exciting series provides great first-hand encounters with our country through the eyes of two adventurers, as they become absorbed by its history, culture, phenomenal landscape and people.”
Charley Boorman’s African Adventure launches this Autumn on Channel 5. For images and press releases visit http://mediacentre.kallaway.co.uk/South-African-Tourism-press-release.htm [insert bit.ly here]
For South Africa’s top ten extreme adventures see notes below.
Charley Boorman’s African Adventure at the Adventure Film Festival
Charley Boorman’s African Adventure will be one of the headline showing for this year’s Adventure Film Festival (www.adventurefest.co.uk), which runs nationwide from 8 October until November. South Africa Tourism would like to invite press to join Charley and his team at the gala evening to be held in London at the end of the festival, on Thursday 1 November.
To attend please email jack.hickmott@kallaway.com or call the Kallaway travel team on 020 7221 7883.
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Issued by Kallaway on behalf of South African Tourism
For further information contact:
Susannah Glynn at Kallaway
Tel: 020 7221 7883
Email: Susannah.glynn@kallaway.com
Kgomotso Ramothea at SA Tourism
Tel: +44 20 8971 9350
Email: kgomotso@southafrica.net
Website www.southafrica.net
Register on our media extranet to browse the latest news releases (from SA Tourism as well as the tourism industry in general), access the news archive and get details of all upcoming tourism industry events (both locally and internationally).
http://mediaextranet.southafrica.net
About South Africa
Nearly half a million visitors from the UK are drawn to South Africa each year, lured by its rich history, vibrant contemporary culture, scenic beauty and wildlife. The country’s iconic attractions include Mvezo, the birthplace of Nelson Mandela, cosmopolitan Cape Town and the 5.2sq mile Kruger National Park. South Africa was the first country in the world to include Responsible Tourism as part of government policy and for almost 20 years has acted as a major driving force for change in the sector. The visitor to South Africa can expect an unparalleled authentic experience, accommodation which is sustainable as it is stylish and affordable getaways which don’t cost the Earth.
About South African Tourism
South African Tourism is the national tourism agency responsible for the marketing of South Africa as a preferred tourist destination. In the UK it is headed up by Destination Manager Lungi Morrison.
South Africa Tourism at World Travel Market 2012
Visit SAT at Stand AF500 at World Travel Market this year for a chance to meet celebrity adventurer Charley Boorman, discover what the destination’s responsible tourism ethos has to offer visitors and hear from the Minister of Tourism about the organization’s plans for the future.
Other events at the stand will include wine tasting – South Africa provided two of the three official ‘Olympic’ wines at the 2012 Games – and the announcement of the Ubuntu Awards (worth £25,000) which celebrate innovation in tourism marketing.
For more information on WTM and media interviews contact Susannah Glynn at Kallaway (susannah.glynn@kallaway.com; 020 7221 7883)
About Charley Boorman’s African Adventure
For his latest adventure Charley teamed up with Russ Malkin, seasoned producer/director of Boorman’s previous hit TV series which include epic bike journeys Long Way Down and Long Way Round with Ewan McGregor. The series, to be screened on Channel 5 this autumn, will comprise of four 1hr episodes.
Charley Boorman’s African Adventure was Commissioned by Channel 5’s Head of Factual Entertainment, Steve Gowans; Executive Producer, Russ Malkin, Charley Boorman and Brendan Kelly; Producer/Director, Russ Malkin; Produced by Big Earth.
To see unseen clips from Charley’s adventure visit the Charley Boorman’s Extreme Frontiers website: www.extremefrontiers.co.uk
South Africa’s Top 10 Extreme adventures
1. Bloukrans Bungee, Tsitsikamma
Plunge head-first off the 216m-high Bloukrans Bridge, the highest commercial bungee jump in the world.
2. Diving with Tiger Sharks, KwaZulu-Natal South Coast
Cage free - at world-rated dive site, Aliwal Shoal.
3. Cable Gorge Swing, Graskop
The world’s highest cable gorge swing-68m of high-octane freefall.
4. Frozen waterfall, Giants Castle Massif
Let’s just say you’ve never experienced cold play like this before.
5. Crocodile Cage-diving, Oudtshoorn
Get snapped (by a camera) eye-to-eye with a 4m long Nile crocodile. See Number 2 – only this time there’s a cage for a reason…
6. The Mother of all Abseils
1000ft above sea level, Table Mountain boasts South Africa’s highest commercial abseil. It’s enough to send anyone over the edge…
7. Surf Dungeons in Hout Bay during winter
The biggest and most radical surf break on the African continent. Pro-surfers only!
8. White water rafting, KwaZulu-Natal
South Africa’s wildest river ride: the mighty Tugela (Thukela) River meets unyielding rocky gorge.
9. Thunder City, Cape Town
Blow your mind on a supersonic jet interceptor as you hurtle through the sound barrier at 1,500km an hour above the ocean.
10. Orlando Towers Power Swing, Soweto
The world’s first bungee swing between 2 cooling towers
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