ITV

Category: Factual

  • Discovery chronicles the harrowing story and extraordinary rescue of the thai soccer team that is captivating the world in Operation thai cave rescue

    Discovery chronicles the harrowing story and extraordinary rescue of the thai soccer team that is captivating the world in Operation thai cave rescue

    MUMBAI: From the moment the heartbreaking news broke that 12 young Thai soccer players and their 25-year-old coach were stuck in a cave complex near the Myanmar border, the world has been glued to the rescue and recovery details. For over two weeks, the facts of how the group ended up in the cave and the subsequent mobilization of rescue workers around the globe has been a testament of just how powerful human spirit can be—while the sudden and tragic death of one of the rescue divers underscored the seriousness of the situation. 

    But as each boy has been pulled out, there remains many questions. Why were these boys there? How did they survive for nearly two weeks without food and without knowing how to swim? What will their physical and mental state be moving forward?  What would it take to get this group out of this treacherous cave, and why did the unique geology of this cave present so many challenges? OPERATION THAI CAVE RESCUE will be the first documentary to explore and unpack every angle of this remarkable rescue operation.

    Produced in association with ITN Productions, Discovery’s OPERATION THAI CAVE RESCUE unpacks the human and scientific drama behind one of the most difficult and heart-palpitating rescues attempted in human history.  With exclusive early access to men and women – including family members –  who have been living and breathing the events, OPERATION THAI CAVE RESCUE focuses on the triumph of the human spirit and the extraordinary scientific and technological innovations used to complete this miracle rescue. As the clock continues to tick, and predicted Monsoon rains loom above, rescuers in the cave and above ground, plot their next move. Featuring interviews with medical and mental health experts, renowned cave diving instructors and the world’s leading cave diving rescue experts, the film paints a full picture of what the boys and their rescuers were experiencing and how these heroic divers could recover what was thought initially to be an impossible feat. 

    As the last boys and their coach were rescued on July 10, the world finally exhaled that breathe that has been held for 18 days.  Now we collectively search for answers to understand the mystery of what happened and how, with one slight difference, the outcome might have been different.

    OPERATION THAI CAVE RESCUE is produced for Discovery Channel by ITN Productions. Jon Bardin and Andrew O’Connell serve as executive producers for Discovery. Ian Russell serves as Executive Producer for ITN Productions

  • TLC to premiere Curvy Bride Boutique for plus size brides

    TLC to premiere Curvy Bride Boutique for plus size brides

    MUMBAI: TLC, India’s go to lifestyle channel, is all set to premiere the most popular and talked about UK based show Curvy Bride Boutique from 16th July at 10 PM. It follows Jo and Al, the brains behind Curves and Couture Bridal Boutique, and their beautiful brides’ journeys to finding the perfect dress.

    Tucked away in rural Essex, the appointment-only Curvy Brides Boutique is a paradise for its clients. With rails full of wedding dresses from size 16 to 40 ready to try on, Jo and Alison are standing by to make sure brides feel amazing on the inside as well as look incredible on the outside.

    Inspired by difficult experiences of their own, the duo set out to become not just wedding dress experts, but fairy godmothers for brides-in-need. They know how stressful it can be for larger women – struggling with a lack of confidence or previously facing humiliating treatment in high street stores. Not to mention the critical scrutiny from friends and family and even their partner, as they make the long walk down the aisle.

    The Curvy Brides Boutique offers a wrap-around hug of a service, that sees Jo and Alison give advice and support every step of the way – from finding the dress they call “the one”, right up to walking down the aisle on cloud nine.

  • ‘Maggi Kitchen Journey’ to premiere on Zee TV, Living Foodz

    ‘Maggi Kitchen Journey’ to premiere on Zee TV, Living Foodz

    MUMBAI: Nestle and Zee pay an ode to women who have emerged from bread makers to bread earners, leveraging their passion for food on the show Maggi Kitchen Journeys. The show will be soon premiere this July on Zee TV at 6:30 pm on Saturday, 14 July and on Living Foodz at 1:30 PM on Monday, 16 July.

    Maggi Kitchen journey brings up 12 motivating and history of women who have established their own unique identity, empowered themselves using cooking as a medium. Guests of the shows  will be sharing their success stories with show host actress Renuka Shahane. Maggi Kitchen Journeys aims to to fuel the ambition of women across the country and motivate them to carve an identity for themselves in society. 

    Zee Unimedia Ltd chief operating officer Ashish Sehgal said, “ZEE shares great thought synergies with Nestle, who has been a cherished client over the years. Our brand philosophies intersect beautifully when it comes to igniting a spark among the Indian masses to achieve the extraordinary. Through this collaboration, we as broadcasters, are happy to help amplify this message across and ensure that it reaches the largest denominator in the form of engaging television content.”

    ZEEL chief marketing officer Prathyusha Agarwal says, “We are very excited to bring alive Nestle’s brand vision through a show that salutes women who have combined their culinary expertise with gumption and industriousness to re-write their destinies and emerge as successful entrepreneurs. The content fits beautifully with the two channels we plan to showcase it on Zee TV, where our brand philosophy Aaj Likhenge Kal is all about inspiring the masses to draw from their inner strength, seize the right opportunities and reach out to an extraordinary future and Living Foodz, our lifestyle channel, which elevates food from just something cooked within the confines of a kitchen to an emotion that bonds people together and paves a way of life”.

    Commenting on the same, Nestlé India General Manager Foods, Maarten Geraets says “At Maggi, we believe that home-cooking deserves its rightful due. Home-cooking provides us everyday meals and has a huge impact on oneself, the family and consequently on the society. We are extremely excited about our partnership with ZEE TV and Living Foodz in taking our message of ‘Kuch Acha Pak Raha Hai’ forward.”

  • Discovery India to premiere adventure series Ed Stafford: Left for Dead on 14th July

    Discovery India to premiere adventure series Ed Stafford: Left for Dead on 14th July

    MUMBAI: LEFT FOR DEAD is an epic new adventure series, premiering on Discovery Channel this Saturday, July 14th at 7 pm Sat-Sun, that follows explorer and adventurer Ed Stafford in his attempt to escape from some of our planet’s most extreme environments. On the move without food, it takes just 10 days for the human body to start to shut down. So, that’s how long Ed is giving himself to escape the subtropical forests, parched deserts and desolate mountains that await him.

    Using only natural navigation, Ed relies on his wits and survival skills to make split-second decisions as he travels without basic survival gear. With just his camera kit to document each journey, he has no map, compass, knife, camping equipment, food or water – pushing the limits of human endurance on the move. He must rely on instinct and his will to live to combat hunger, thirst, fatigue and life-threatening obstacles. The challenges that Ed faces are in fact so dangerous that an expert rescue team tracks him from afar – ready to venture out to retrieve him at a moment’s notice. However, the distance between Ed and his emergency crew means that certain situations could still prove perilous for Ed, given the risk that they arrive too late.

    In this new series, Ed proves that survival is more than just a test of physical strength – it takes mental agility and unyielding determination to make it out alive. Watch as he takes on Bolivia’s Atacama Desert, Panama’s Darien Gap, the Asian forests of Laos and the coastal mangroves of Madagascar, Mongolia’s Altai Mountains and Bulgaria’s Rhodope Mountains. This is as close to real survival as Ed can get.

  • Travelxp flies into Singapore’s StarHub

    Travelxp flies into Singapore’s StarHub

     MUMBAI: Travelxp, the lifestyle channel that reaches over 91 million homes, has planned to expand its reach in the major market of Asia-Pacific. The company has forayed into Singapore market in association with a local player StarHub that went on air on 3 July 2018.

    The content available will include all the genres such as cultural, heritage, travel and food among others. All of the platform’s subscribers will be able to preview the channel for free.

    Travelxp CEO Prashant Chothani said that it is the beginning of the network’s expansion into the Asia Pacific region and it will continue to take its world-class content across the globe in more language feeds. “Further launches in different international markets with more languages are on the anvil in the coming months,” he said.  

    Chothani further added, “Our partnership with StarHub would take Travelxp to all 4,49,000 subscribers of StarHub TV. The channel will include Chinese subtitles in the coming months, to appeal to and engage with a wider audience. It is going to be the mainstream channel, launched as the English one. Going forward, it will be localised in Chinese also.”

    StarHub head of content business unit Lee Soo Hui said: “We are delighted that our customers will be the first in Southeast Asia to enjoy Travelxp’s content. With Singaporeans being avid travellers, we are confident that Travelxp will resonate with every backpacker, guidebook follower, and adventure seeker.”

    The launch follows the channel’s addition to the UK’s Freeview platform at the end of April. It is now available globally in 91 million homes, in English, German, Czech, Slovenian, Serbian, Croatian and Bulgarian. In India, the company plans to add more languages to add to the Hindi, Tamil and Bengali audiences it currently serves.

    Speaking on the ad inventories, Chothani said that the process hasn’t started yet but will soon embark on it.

    As the emergence of digital platforms is growing steadily, the network as such has no plans or any deals with other OTT platforms for streaming its content. Chothani said that it is soon planning to come up with its own digital strategy by this year. He added, “As far as marketing and promotional strategies are concerned, StarHub is marketing heavily and they are doing all the marketing that is required.”

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  • TLC to show Masterchef Canada season 5

    TLC to show Masterchef Canada season 5

    MUMBAI: TLC, a part of Discovery, has announced the telecast of the fifth season of the culinary competition series Masterchef Canada from 26 June in India. The show is produced by Proper Television in association with CTV and co-powered by Jockey woman while Budweiser Experience has come on-board as an associate sponsor.

    In each episode, the home cooks are pushed to the limit in a series of mystery box challenges, team challenges, and pressure tests, with the three judges providing direction and feedback throughout the process. Each task is designed to test and hone the home cooks’ skill, knowledge, passion, and creativity. At the conclusion of each episode at least one person is eliminated until there are only two home cooks left vying for the life-changing Masterchef Canada title. The winner will get $100,000 cash prize.

    Discovery Communications India VP premium and digital networks Zulfia Waris said, “We are delighted to bring back the new season of Masterchef Canada this monsoon and welcome the next group of talented home cooks looking to make their culinary dreams a reality.  The earlier seasons of Masterchef Canada have been extremely well received by food aficionados across the country. We will play up the passion even more with this exciting new season.”

    The show’s format and finished programmes are represented internationally by Endemol Shine Group, and is based on a format originally created by Franc Roddam.

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  • History TV18 to release third film in ‘Special Operations India’ series

    History TV18 to release third film in ‘Special Operations India’ series

    MUMBAI: On New Year’s Eve 2015, a group of terrorists from Pakistan set into motion, a plan to attack the Indian Air Force Station at Pathankot, Punjab. Their objective – to destroy defence assets and kill as many Indian citizens as possible. 

    Following a police report, Indian Intelligence agencies intercept calls made by the terrorists and take measures to pre-emptthe attack. The sprawling 2,000-acre Pathankot Air Base goes on red alert. After lying hidden for almost 24 hours, the terrorists are spotted. The hunt begins. 

    History TV18 presents the true story of the Counter Terror Operation as it unfolded, with “Special Operations India: Pathankot” on Monday, 25th June 2018. The one hour documentary based on true events, is the third film in the “Special Operations India” limited series. The first two, were the path-breaking features about India’s Surgical Strikes in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and the Indian Special Forces action on insurgent camps in Myanmar. 

    At Pathankot, the Garud Commando Force – the IAF’s first line of defence – along with the National Security Guard (NSG) – India’s elite federal contingency force – were called upon to neutralize the terrorist threat. A deadly, full blown counter terror operation unfolded on home soil. The documentary recreates the mission – to hunt down and eliminate the Fidayeen terrorists – in dramatic action sequences, with authenticity, expert insights and little known facts.  

    Indian Special Forces successfully prevented the terrorists from damaging Indian Air Force assets.  Civilians on the air force station were also kept safe. But there was a price. Brave Indian defence personnel made the ultimate sacrifice in the line of duty. This is as much their story. 

    The tense narrative follows India’s Garud and NSG Commandos in their mission to stop the suicide attackers. The story is pieced together, with new findings and first-hand accounts of the men, who fought to protect India’sfrontline airbase.

     Ajit Doval – National Security Advisor to the Govt of India; Air Marshal S.B Deo – Vice Chief of Air Staff; Manohar Parrikar – Former Defence Minister; Force Commander – National Security Guard (identity undisclosed); IAF Group Captain V. Badoni;Squadron Leader – Garud Commando Force (identity undisclosed); IAF Squadron Leader Yashu Bhardwaj and Nitin Gokhale – Defence Analyst and Author, tell the compelling story in their own words, with rare insights. 

    Details of the operation – of what transpired behind the scenes, the trials, setbacks and triumphs – emerge, as never before.This is the definitive account of an Indian military op that is a major event in the history of India’s fight against cross border terrorism.

    TV18 COO Network18 and MD A+E Networks Avinash Kaul said “Special OperationsIndia: Pathankot is yet another example of our commitment to showcase inspiring true stories of valour and sacrifice.  This is a compellingstory of the grit and mettle of Indian Security Forces. These India productions add a new dimension to our programming, making high-voltage, contemporary stories come alive through first person narratives of the people directly involved. Such shows, with stellar production values and new-age storytelling, have clearly established HISTORY TV18 as the leader in Factual Entertainment in India”

    Catch Special Operations India: Pathankot on HISTORY TV18 on Monday, 25th June 2018 at 9pm. 

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  • Epic and Rupa publications announce the umeed india book on the occasion of international olympic day

    Epic and Rupa publications announce the umeed india book on the occasion of international olympic day

    MUMBAI: EPIC TV – India’s only Hindi language, Indian Infotainment channel celebrates International Olympic Day with an exclusive unveiling of the first look of the Umeed India book published by Rupa Publications and based on its popular series, of the same name hosted by ace cricketer Virender Sehwag.

    Celebrated on June 23 every year, International Olympic Day aims to promote participation in sports across the globe and unite people regardless of age, gender, or athletic ability.  Also extending this initiative on-air, EPIC has scheduled a day-long showcase of Umeed India. Launched in 2017, Umeed India chronicles ground-breaking stories of Indians aiming for glory at Olympics 2020. Presented by the swashbuckling cricketer and debutant television host, Virender Sehwag, Umeed India travels across the country unearthing inspiring journeys and on-going struggles of 13 sport-stars including freestyle wrestler and Olympic medallist Sakshi Malik, para-Olympian swimmer Suyash Jadhav, shot-put player Om Prakash Karhana, sprinter Dutee Chand, judoka Avtar Singh, wrestler Vinesh Phogat, rower Dattu Bhokanal, among others who are vying for glory at Olympics 2020.

    Speaking about book launch, Virender Sehwag said, “I am happy to announce the launch of the Umeed India book. The show aimed at giving an impetus to sports and highlighting the struggles and achievements of Indian sportsmen who truly deserve national recognition and support. I am confident that the book will further this mission and serve as inspiration to generations of budding sportspersons.”

    Also commenting on these developments, Aditya Pittie, Managing Director, EPIC TV, said, At EPIC we are committed to taking the stories we tell to larger audiences using every media at our disposal, and books are the original storytellers. The stories of our athletes and their perseverance to win gold and glory are to be cherished and we are glad to have had the opportunity to champion this effort along with one of India’s most celebrated sportsperson – Virender Sehwag.”

    Sharing his views on the book, para-Olympian swimmer Suyash Jadhav, who also featured on the show said, “Sportspersons need constant motivation and support to keep doing their best at their game, especially on a major international platform such as the Olympics. The Umeed India book will certainly inspire youngsters in the country to give their best while focusing on the resources available to them to achieve their goals.”

    Indian javelin thrower, Annu Rani also commented, “An initiative such as the Umeed India book will help budding sportspersons, even those in remote areas, to understand what it takes to make it big in the world of sport and constantly better themselves to represent India on an international sporting platform and make their dream come true.”

  • FOX Life celebrates a perfect celebrity mismatch in Great Escape’s new season

    FOX Life celebrates a perfect celebrity mismatch in Great Escape’s new season

    MUMBAI: He’s rugged, she’s delicate. He’s adventurous, and she is spiritual. They are two friends who, at a distance, might seem like polar opposites. But get closer and you are sure to be surprised. FOX Life, India’s favorite premium lifestyle channel, is all set to give its viewers a closer look at the 15-year-old friendship between music legend Vishal Dadlani, and actress and VJ Sarah Jane Dias, on the new season of ‘Great Escape’. This is the third edition of Fox Life’s successful India’s home-grown franchise ‘Great Escape’ and will feature travel tales of ‘the bold and the beautiful’ from their expedition to some of the most visually stunning parts of Himachal Pradesh, starting from the hill town of Shimla and ending at the Golden Temple in Amritsar.

    For Vishal and Sarah, this is first trip they have taken together in their 15 years of friendship, and it definitely promises to be a journey of a lifetime. As they embark on a 10-day road trip across the less explored regions of Himachal Pradesh, viewers will get a chance to get up-close-and-personal with the duo. Together, the two will be seen throwing each other in into a sea full of challenges and experiences. From Sarah trying her best to make Vishal do a round of morning yoga to Vishal encouraging Sarah to rappel down a waterfall, the two leave no stone unturned in making their road trip epic.

    Talking about the show, National Geographic & FOX Networks Group India, Head – Productions, Shruti Takulia says, “Both Sarah and Vishal resonate perfectly Fox Life’s brand philosophy which is to ‘Never Stop’ and always seek more out of life. The show will be an absolute treat for travel junkies, since it will showcase some of Himachal’s most beautiful, but lesser travelled to sites. The show will also give viewers an intimate view of Vishal and Sarah, showcasing an unknown side of the personality that can only come out through travel experiences. The chemistry and camaraderie of these two celebs, who have known each other for 15 years, but have completely opposite personalities, is definitely something that will keep viewers hooked on to the show.”

  • Epic TV appoints Rajiee Shinde as president

    Epic TV appoints Rajiee Shinde as president

    MUMBAI: Infotainment channel EPIC TV has announced the appointment of Rajiee M Shinde as president. In her new role at EPIC, she has been entrusted with the responsibility of expanding the business and building the EPIC network.

    Prior to joining EPIC, Shinde has served as CEO and director at PTC Network and was instrumental in establishing the network while spearheading the launch of multiple channels. She has also served as the business head of ETC Punjabi of the Zee Group and was responsible for the launch of the Punjabi music channel.

    EPIC Television Network MD Aditya Pittie said, “I am delighted to welcome Rajiee to the EPIC family. She brings with her immense experience of establishing and building new businesses and is the perfect resource to have on board to drive outgrowth plans.”

    With a career spanning over 2 decades, Shinde has held various leadership positions both internationally and with leading media houses in India. A recipient of numerous awards and accolades for her contribution to the media and entertainment ecosystem, her notable awards include – FICCI women entrepreneur 2018, women of the decade in media and social change by women economic forum 2017 (WEF), Punjabi Icon award 2017 by Punjabi cultural heritage board, Mumbai, Excellence in Media in the BIMSTEC – SAARC women empowerment forum 2017 organized by ASSOCHAM under MEA. She has also been conferred with Punjab State Brand Leadership Award 2017 and among many others.

    Shinde said, “I am happy to be a part of the EPIC group and my primary role would be to expand the EPIC brand into a network and a cluster of new channels. This role also presents me with a wider canvas to promote new and fresh talent on a national level.

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