Factual

BBC Earth to launch in Asia in October

Published

11 years ago

July 23, 2015

MUMBAI: BBC Worldwide will be launching its new premium factual channel, BBC Earth, in Asia.

BBC Earth will inspire audiences by sharing the incredible wonders of our universe. The channel will showcase the work of the world’s foremost factual film makers as it takes audiences on a journey of discovery. From the smallest creature under the microscope to the limitless expanses of space, BBC Earth will bring viewers face to face with heart pounding action, mind blowing ideas and the wonders of being human.

The channel, a rebrand of BBC Knowledge, will launch on 3 October. In Asia, BBC Earth will be available in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. There is also a BBC Earth block in Japan on Wowow.

BBC Earth is part of a global strategy created and shaped by research into audience demand. It is BBC Worldwide’s brand for premium factual content, from natural history and the human world to outer space and science.

BBC Worldwide Asia EVP David Weiland said, “The premiere of BBC Earth in Asia is an important step in BBC Worldwide’s strategy to inspire audiences with intelligent, distinctive content. With BBC Earth, we will now have a compelling way to share premium BBC factual content with audiences in Asia and around the world. With an increased investment into new and premiere content, we are confident that BBC Earth will strike a chord with viewers in Asia.”

On 4 October, BBC Earth will premiere Shark – the definitive series of shark natural history, made on a scale never attempted before and revelatory in both content and photography. This series features over 30 species of sharks and rays, including one that walks on land. The series was filmed in dozens of locations worldwide, ranging from under the polar ice to mangrove swamps, shipwrecks and coral reefs.

The new channel will also see the Asia premiere of The Hunt, less than 24 hours after the UK telecast. The blue chip landmark series, narrated by Sir David Attenborough and executive produced by award-winning producer, Alistair Fothergill, explores the dramatic world of predation as never before, taking an intimate look at the remarkable strategies of hunters and the hunted, exploring the challenges animals face and the tactics they employ.

Other programmes that will premiere later in the year after The Hunt include:

Lands of the Monsoon – A series exploring how life around southern Asia both endures and depends on the tumultuous weather that annually transforms the land – the mighty monsoon. All life is dominated by this rampaging weather system. From Tibet to northern Australia, this series makes an exhilarating journey through the lands of the monsoon.

Life Below Zero (series three) – The icy adventures continue for Life Below Zero’s hardy characters, racing to prepare for their survival as the oncoming winter freeze begins to take hold in Alaska. This ratings-winning series continues to grip audiences as it follows the stories of hard-working people living off the grid miles from the nearest road.

Infested – Dr Michael Mosley explores the bizarre and fascinating world of parasites by turning his body into a living laboratory and deliberately infesting himself with them. He travels to Kenya to give himself a tapeworm – a parasite that can grow to many metres inside the human gut. He also encounters lice, leeches and deadly malaria parasites, before swallowing a pill-camera to reveal what is growing within him. By the end of his infestation, Mosley learns a new-found respect for these extraordinary creatures, which can live off and even take control of their hosts for their own survival.

Up Next

CNN International Commercial appoints Fox Sports’ Shradha Nair

Don't Miss

Mindshare appoints MediaCom’s Sriram Sharma as leader–south

Click to comment

Factual

Kumar Mangalam Birla makes KBC debut with Amitabh Bachchan

Published

2 months ago

December 29, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: India’s most famous hot seat is about to welcome an unlikely first-timer. For the first time on Hindi general entertainment television, industrialist Kumar Mangalam Birla will appear on Kaun Banega Crorepati, the iconic quiz show hosted by Amitabh Bachchan.

The special episode marks a rare meeting point of boardroom heft and prime-time television, bringing one of India’s most influential business leaders face to face with the country’s most enduring screen legend. It is a crossover that blends intellect, leadership and popular culture, all under KBC’s familiar spotlight.

Birla’s appearance dovetails neatly with the show’s current theme, Jahaan Akal Hai, Wahan Akad Hai, which celebrates the confidence that comes from clarity of thought and knowledge. His presence lends weight to the idea that sharp thinking and conviction are as vital in life as they are in the quiz chair.

In a thoughtful conversation with Bachchan, Birla shared an upbeat view of India’s economic journey, pointing to the nation’s rapid growth and the scale of opportunity opening up across industries and communities. He spoke of momentum, ambition and a future shaped by enterprise and ideas.

The episode is not all serious talk. In lighter moments, Birla confessed his long-standing admiration for Bachchan, calling him his favourite actor and admitting to a touch of nervousness at answering questions in front of the Shahenshah himself. The candour adds a human touch to a man more often seen in headlines than on television sets.

The special episode airs on Monday, 29 December at 9.00 pm on Sony Entertainment Television and Sony LIV.

Factual

Rocky heats up NCR as Road Trippin returns with winter bites

Published

2 months ago

December 26, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Winter’s bite just got tastier. Road Trippin With Rocky is back for its 15th season, with Rocky Singh rolling through the NCR to plate up comfort food, cult favourites and cold-weather cravings from 27 to 30 December.

The four-day journey opens in Noida, where Rocky kicks off with the much-loved Jain Tikki Wala in Sector 27 before wrapping the day at the always-humming Social. Faridabad follows, with stops shaped by local recommendations, while Gurugram brings a balance of indulgence and restraint from a standout vegetarian spread to smoky carnivore fare at The Pit, finished with Thai flavours at Banng.

Saving the grand finale for Delhi, Rocky dives into the capital’s contrasts from humble roadside falahar to refined fine-dining tables that define New Delhi’s evolving food scene. The promise is simple: honest recommendations that belong on every serious food lover’s list.

Over the years, #RoadTrippin has grown into one of HistoryTV18’s most successful digital-first properties. Built for viewers who snack on content on the move, the format’s easy humour, spontaneity and conversational style have kept audiences coming back season after season.

The numbers underline its pull. Across platforms, the franchise has clocked over 2 billion impressions and more than 550 million video views, turning each new season into a highly anticipated return.

Season 15 of #RoadTrippinWithRocky will play out across HistoryTV18’s and Rocky’s social media handles, a winter road trip that proves once again that in NCR, the cold only makes the food hotter.

Factual

Street of Stories Warner Bros doc amplifies GB Road’s unheard voices

Published

4 months ago

November 18, 2025

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: The cries may have gone unheard, but the stories now refuse to stay silent. Warner Bros. Discovery and Times Network have come together to shine a piercing, humanising light on Delhi’s GB Road, one of India’s most stigmatised spaces with Unheard Cries at GB Road, a documentary that trades sensationalism for truth, and myth for lived reality. The film premiered on 17 November 2025 on discovery+, offering rare, unfiltered access to a world long discussed but rarely listened to.

Crafted under Times Now Studios and shaped by producer and co-writer Rohit Chadda, the documentary draws on over 50 in-depth interviews with survivors, sex workers, police officials, social workers and experts. Instead of dramatisation or stylised retellings, the film builds itself on first-hand accounts bringing to the fore women whose lives have often been spoken about, yet scarcely spoken to.

At its heart, Unheard Cries at GB Road is a testament to the women who battle cycles of trauma, exploitation and coercion, while still searching for small, stubborn pockets of hope. Their accounts, delivered on record and often at great personal risk, reveal the emotional, physical and psychological landscapes of a district too frequently flattened by stereotype.

Warner Bros. Discovery, head of factual entertainment, lifestyle & kids for South Asia,Sai Abishek said the project demanded both courage and care. “Unheard Cries at GB Road is a story that demands to be seen and heard. Factual storytelling carries responsibility, and this film embodies that commitment. By giving these women the space to speak for themselves, the documentary brings rare honesty and emotional depth to a subject too often misunderstood.”

The production team gained access to the interiors of brothels, capturing the quiet routines, the harsh constraints and the precarious negotiations that shape daily life. Insights from the Delhi Police, NGO workers and legal experts situate these personal stories within the larger systems of trafficking, safety failures and legal gaps that the women must navigate.

Rohit Chadda said, “We made this film to confront a truth that has long remained ignored. Our commitment from the very beginning was to tell these stories with honesty, dignity, and responsibility – and we hope it resonates deeply enough to spark reflection, conversation, and a sense of hope, which results in long term change. Unheard Cries at GB Road is the first production under the banner of Times Now Studios, and we intend to build on this foundation by creating more meaningful, purpose-driven stories that deserve a platform and a voice.”

“This special documentary, produced under Times Now Studios and directed by Rohit Chadda and Yatharth Chauhan, is built on more than 50 in-depth interviews.”

While the documentary does not attempt to provide simple solutions, it offers something more vital, a vantage point grounded in truth. By presenting the voices of women who endure the unseen and the unimaginable on a daily basis, the film asks viewers to confront the complexity of GB Road with empathy rather than judgement.

Unheard Cries at GB Road is streaming now on discovery+, inviting the nation to listen truly listen to stories that can no longer remain in the shadows.