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Tag: Discovery Travel

  • ‘We are keen on bringing in more channels’ : Deepak Shourie – Discovery Networks India MD

    ‘We are keen on bringing in more channels’ : Deepak Shourie – Discovery Networks India MD

    For Discovery Networks India, 2007 has been a year of growth. The company carried out a slew of local initiatives including celebrating 60 years of India’s Independence. It is also looking at airing more HD content from overseas, coming out with thematic week slots for Discovery Travel and Living, and doing local productions.

     

    In an interview with Indiantelevision.com’s Ashwin Pinto, Discovery Networks India MD Deepak Shourie talks about the company’s eagerness to bring in more channels, address different target segments, and prepare the ground for exploiting new media.

     

    Excerpts:

    Discovery globally has been undergoing major restructuring this year. Has India been impacted?
    There is more sharing of resources happening now. We see Discovery as one brand rather than saying, for instance, that what is happening in the UK is separate from other countries.

     

    India is an important part of this brand story. We take content from other parts of the world and what we produce in India travels abroad. With India today being the flavour of the world, this of course helps.

    As cable operators digitalise their networks, do you see this as an opportunity to bring in more channels from the Discovery stable?
    We are examining this possibility. We are keen on bringing in more channels even though we realise that there is no space on analogue cable networks and getting distribution is tough. Cable operators are in a position to demand higher carriage fees due to lack of space. Digitisation will not become a complete reality unless consolidation within the cable industry happens.

    Are you satisfied at the growth of digitisation in terms of Cas and DTH?
    With direct-to-home (DTH), we are happy to see Tata Sky and Dish TV spreading their reach. But with Cas (conditional access system), what we feared would happen has happened. We have been saying that Cas can’t be mandatory; it has to be voluntary. You can’t force it down people’s throats. That is why the uptake of set top boxes (STBs) in the Cas areas has been low.

     

    Broadcasters are suffering as they have no idea as to how many homes have taken their channels. The multi-system operators (MSOs) do not have a proper billing system in place.

    We are entering a phase when we will see the launch of more English channels. How do you view this scenario of fragmentation?
    We are happy to see more channels come in. Since Discovery is a well established brand, we are not worried about our share of viewership; we have grown to be the number one international channel in the country. We have achieved the aim of making Discovery mainstream as opposed to being niche. The new channels that come in will find it difficult to build viewership.

    Discovery has boosted its reach partly due to its Hindi feed. Are you looking at regional languages?
    No! We were evaluating this possibility. However, we decided that these two languages give us enough reach. In the South, English is well respected.
    ‘For Discovery, we are seeing more male viewership. Discovery Travel and Living targets SEC A men and women. For Animal Planet, a global strategy is being worked out‘

    Has there been a change in terms of how viewers have consumed the channel over the last couple of years?
    For Discovery, we are seeing more male viewership. This is because of the kind of shows we air. We focus on things like engineering, science and cars which appeal more to men.

     

    Discovery Travel and Living targets SEC A men and women.

     

    For Animal Planet, a global strategy is being worked out. We are waiting for this.

     

    India is a young country with high aspirations. Over time we will see some movement away from entertainment television towards television that is informative. This is how growth will happen for us.

    One of Discovery’s major initiatives was celebrating 60 years of India’s independence. How has the experience been working with India’s scientific and technological community?
    Our aim was to showcase innovations at a grassroots level. It seemed a good way to show the progress India is making. We also want to encourage innovation. The technological community was very open and appreciative to what we did. Local shows play an important part in driving viewers to the channel.

    What has Discovery’s strategy been to lure in more viewership?
    Our main aim has been to ensure that the primetime is very strong. We start with the ‘Wild’ section, then move on to technology, trends and India hour.

     

    Our aim is to two-fold. Firstly during primetime, the content on our channel must be important and matter to our viewers. Our second aim is to ensure that viewers return to our channel even during non-primetime.

    What are the major properties coming up on the channel?ce?
    The biggest one is Atlas which will kick off towards the latter part of next month. This will look at different countries – India, Australia, Italy and South Africa. The show looks at different facets – be it culture, topography, etc. It has been filmed in high-definition. It looks to combine the quality of a blue-chip documentary with the detail and clarity of HD.

     

    Another property we are excited about is Into Alaska With Jeff Corwin. Alaska has America’s highest mountain; it has a great element of wilderness as well as fascinating animals. A population of less than that of New York City spreads out over an area three times the size of Texas. Jeff Corwin brings this wilderness to viewers.

     

    Race To Mars looks at the race to first reach the Red Planet by 2030. China is leading the way.

     

    Once again, America and its partners, including Canada, are thrust into a winner-take-all space race. Six individuals from Canada, the US, Russia, France and Japan are selected for this gruelling two-year mission. This crew sets out on humanity’s first expedition to another world; nothing can prepare them for the unexpected danger and staggering wonder of what they will experience.

    Abroad Discovery is focussing on the environment with its major eco green initiative. Are you looking to do something in India along these lines?
    We will air this in India. Discovery US has tied up with Leonardo DiCaprio for the eco green initiative. Once this content becomes available we will see what can be done in India to add value.

    Discovery Asia and Nokia teamed up for a filmmaker’s initiative. How has this worked out?
    It was a marketing relationship. This was for mobile filmmaking where the winner got the chance to work in Discovery Asia’s Singapore headquarters and learn about making documentaries. The initiative gave people the chance to innovate.

    How does Discovery Travel and Living reach its viewers?
    Viewers have found us. We have more SEC A viewers watching us than any other channel. Income levels are going up. Where will this money be spent? On lifestyle. That is why they will watch us for information and also entertainment.

     

    It is a difficult proposition for most channels to catch this audience. People in this segment do a lot of things during their leisure time.
    Has this helped you in roping in big advertisers?
    We have sold most of our inventory. Every lifestyle brand that launches a new product comes to Discovery Travel and Living. At the moment we are doing something for India Today Travel Plus. In the past we have done initiatives for companies like AmEx Platinum Card.

     

    Is the channel also looking at forging tie-ups with tourist resorts, tourist boards etc?
    In the past, we have done shows for states like Chattisgarh. We did a France Week recently and we did a press event at the French embassy. Sometimes, tourism boards advertise on our channel.

    Could you shed light on Discovery Travel and Living’s plans for the first quarter of next year?
    We have a couple of interesting shows lined up. There is a show called The Petra Nemcova Project; it is about this international supermodel who is grooming six other potential models. The show chronicles the real story of what it takes to be a model in New York City, without staged eliminations or contrived challenges.

     

    Six new models are brought to the biggest stage in modelling and viewers follow them from their first test shoot to the runways of New York Fashion Week.

     

    Nemcova serves as a mentor and friend to the prospective models, as they learn the trade of modelling and the business of fashion. Using her own life experiences, Petra advises the models on how to succeed and underscores the importance of having a well-rounded life.

     

    We will also premiere a show called Nigella Express. Nigella Lawson is a popular TV chef on our channel.

     

    She takes viewers on a quick and easy journey through the world of getting fabulous healthy food on the table fast. It is the sort of food viewers can cook fast around the clock, any day of the week, to fit whatever amount of time is available. Starting with everyone’s everyday nightmare of what to eat for dinner, to getting entire banquets on the table in less than 30 minutes, this is a series that will resonate with everyone struggling with hurried, time-squeezed, modern life.

     

    We are also looking at a couple of Indian productions.
    The channel is doing thematic weeks. Could you elaborate on this?
    These run from Monday to Friday at 9-10 pm. It allows us to showcase special programming for viewers. This also works for advertisers as they can sponsor a particular week’s programme. During this quarter, we are doing a lot of country-specific programmes, looking at the adventure spots and opportunities for tourism and travel.

     

    Abroad, Discovery has looked to expand through new media. What plans are there in India to tap into mobile and internet?
    Both of these are under review. Global strategies are being worked out for them. It will be a different ballgame as the mobile screen is small; it will complement traditional TV viewing as it is good for snippets of news, music and sports.

  • Discovery Travel & Living gives global cuisine the attention it deserves in its premiere series – Chic Eats

    MUMBAI: No doubt, technology has altered the world of food, making ingredients easier to produce and faster to distribute globally. But at what cost? Fortunately, there are artisans who are working to preserve the traditional methods of cooking that have shaped the world’s culinary history.

    Get prepared to investigate how ancient cooking techniques are being revived and sustained in the episode Hungry Luddite, part of Discovery Travel & Living’s premiere and on-going series Chic Eats.

    Hungry Luddite will air on Discovery Travel & Living on Tuesday, 6th February at 8:30 pm. The episode takes a look at food aficionados and food-obsessed communities who are preserving the culinary traditions of the past in today’s faceless, fast-paced and high-tech society.

    Nothing is perfect in here, because it is not made by machines. Like it or not, the food world is highly industrialised. But there remain a handful of dedicated people with their glasses raised all set to rage against the machine. These are culinary luddites who are keeping old traditions alive.

    Aditya Tripathi, Vice President – Lifestyle, Discovery Networks India, said, “Chic Eats will give viewers a comprehensive view about the latest food trends, must use ingredients, new kitchen gadgets and of course the must-visit food destinations.”

    Chic Eats explores the billion-dollar food industry, stretching its tentacles across the international and commercial landscape. With an access to gourmet magazine’s arsenal of trusted industry journalists and epicurean experts, Chic Eats is an engaging and authentic programme that gives viewers more of what they love most – food stories from all around the world.

    Chic Eats will air all through february uptil march 20th every tuesday at 8:30 PM.

  • Discovery Travel and Living journeys through China this month

    Discovery Travel and Living journeys through China this month

    MUMBAI: Discovery Travel and Living (DTL) heads past the Great Wall of China this month. It will give viewers a glimpse into one of the most exotic and oldest civilisations in the world.

    From the bustling city of Shanghai to the scenic countryside, from the succulent spiced pork to the fresh fried rice noodles, DTL will showcase the country in its five-day long special programme – China Week.

    China Week will air from 19-23 February 2007 at 9 pm. China Week will coincide with the Chinese New Year celebrations.

    Discovery India VP – Lifestyle Aditya Tripathi said, “China Week will explore the country’s unique sights, cultures, cuisine and landscapes and give viewers an exclusive insight into the country’s diverse and delectable attractions.”
    The girst episode is caled Don’t Forget Your Passport. Viewers will join host Ellis Emmett as he treks China and then departs from Chongqing for a week-long trip down the Yangtze river. At the port city of Yichang, Ellis visits the Three Gorges Dam project and explores an ancient Taoist monastery in the 3,000-year-old City of Ghosts. Ellis wraps up his Chinese adventure with a boat trip up the Shenlong crook tributary at the gateway to a reclusive National Park, full of dramatic rocky outcroppings and mountain fed waterfalls.

    The second episode is called Planet Food. During this one-hour voyage New Zealand chef Peter Gordon discovers the roots of one of the world’s great cuisines – Cantonese. In the northern mountains, he cooks succulent spiced pork over an open fire in a Yao tribal house and in the ancient former capital of Foshan, Peter explores the health benefits with one of the country’s leading traditional Chinese medical doctors and samples some healthy dishes.

    A lesson in making delicate dimsum dumplings with one of the world’s leading experts is followed by sampling fried cobra. The next stop is Chaozhou, for some of the most varied and unusual street food, including fresh fried rice noodles and eel. Across the border in Fujian, Peter visits the tea mountains and experiences the organised chaos of the tea capital market where a kilo of the best tea can cost thousands of dollars. Finally, he visits the glittering city of Xiamen, home of experiments in Cantonese fusion cooking.
     

  • Discovery Travel and Living sets up an ‘Indian Rendezvous’

    Discovery Travel and Living sets up an ‘Indian Rendezvous’

    MUMBAI: Earlier this year Discovery Travel and Living had unveiled its first local initiative The Great Indian Wedding. This takes a look at six different weddings. Now the channel will look at six Indian cities. The show airs every Sunday at 8:30 pm from 12 November.

    The cities covered are Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai. What is unique is that each episode will be anchored by a well known personality from that city. So Konkana Sen Sharma will anchor the Kolkata episode, Sushma Reddy will anchor the first episode of the show which looks at Mumbai, Vasundhara Das will anchor the Bangalore episode, filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor will anchor the episode on Hyderabad, Meera Vasudevan will anchor the episode on Chennai and Ayaan Ali khan will host the episode on Delhi.

    The episodes will inform viewers about the food, air, music, adventure and travel opportunities available in each city. The episodes will offer anecdotes on famous places, interactions with each city’s popular personalities, trivia and little known facts.

    Discovery India MD Deepak Shourie says, “Indian rendezvous promises viewers both in India and abroad an unparalleled journey into the heart of India’s biggest cities. It reflects the vibrand spirit and soul of modern India. We are confident that viewers will enjoy watching and rediscovering their cities.”

    Discovery Lifestyle Networks VP Aditya Tripathi says that the plan going forward is to have at least one local show each quarter. So in each year you will see between four to six local shows. Indian Rendezvous he says took eight months to complete. The Mumbai episode was shot a year back. The next show will kick off in February 2007. Vir Sanghvi will host a food based show. “This will give viewers an idea of different cuisines, their origins and how a cuisine defines a region. Most people know Vir as a journalist but his knowledge on the subject of food is phenomenal.

    “This month and in December we will be shooting several episodes of the Great Indian Wedding as it is the marriage season. Following the successful pilot we will air at least six episodes sometime in the middle of next year. There are also several other concepts that have gone into production. They include shows on hotels, homes, fashion, holiday destinations. Indian Rendezvous will also air on Discovery Travel and Living in the UK and in Asia.”

    Shourie adds that as DTH grows in India the network will look at bringing more channels into the country possibly next year. He however said that at this juncture it is too premature to say anything specific.

    Coming back to Indian Rendezvous. Reddy says, “Colourful, vibrant, energetic and friendly Mumbai is and will always be the gateway to India. Mumbai is a city of startling contradictions with stately Victorian architecture and flanking skyscrapers that stab the sky. It is the country’s financial hub and the Mecca of cinema. All this and more makes Mumbai one of India’s most exciting cities. Fast moving and full of life.”

    The Mumbai episode will among other things look at cricket and the episode visits the CCI where the champions trophy was played at the Brabourne Stadium, Wankhede Stadium and meets ex cricketer Ajit Wadhekar.

    It also visits the Taj Mahal Hotel where the discovery travel and living media meet took place this afternoon. The hotel even today retains an old world charm. It always visits the horse races at the Mahalaxmi race course. It also looks At the street food at Juhu Beach as well as Chor Bazaar as well as the small but passionate jazz scene. It talks to jazz musician Louis Banks who mentions that both Mumbai and Kolkatta have a history of jazz.

    DAs says, “Bangalore has attracted people from diverse ciltural and linguistic backgrounds. Being born and brought up in Bangalore and having had the opportunity to travel to other Indian cities I truly understand and love this city. In the past from being known as a pensioners paradise among many other things Bangalore has become a city for all age groups and profiles- students, young professionals, musicians, dancers and artists. Indian Rendezvous presents the city for all seasons in its totality and splendour”

    The Bangalore episode looks at the Infosys Campus which is a city within a city. It also examines fashion with expert Prasad Bidappa as well as looks at Bangalore’s pub culture. Bangalore is known as the pub city of India. The episode also looks at Cubbon Park, which is spread over 300 acres of urban tranquillity.The park is popular with daily joggers and nature lovers. The episode also looks at Soukhya a health clinic.

  • Get shaken & stirred on Discovery Travel & Living new series Cocktail Kings

    Get shaken & stirred on Discovery Travel & Living new series Cocktail Kings

    MUMBAI: Aiming to break away from the routine family dramas and soaps, the lifestyle channel Discovery Travel & Living has been showcasing a variety of shows to spearhead the emerging trend of contemporary alternative television.

    Starting today and to be aired every Thursday at 10 30pm, the new series Cocktail Kings introduces two professional cocktail makers, Colin Asare-Appiah and Dimitri Lezinska as they travel to cities across Europe and the USA where they meet the locals, see the sights, uncover the best things to do and the best places to be seen doing them.

    A 13 episodes series, it focuses on different locations from Colin’s home turf in London and Dimitri’s in Paris, to Milan, Berlin, Athens, other cities across Europe, then over to the US to New York, Miami, San Francisco and Seattle.

    Spending two days at each location, Colin and Dimitri experience the more unusual activities each city offers, apart from seeking out the most stylish bars, restaurants and hotels.

    Once completely saturated in the culture and personality of each city, Colin and Dimitri each then create a brand new cocktail based upon their experiences. Of the two, the cocktail that best reflects the city’s style will be placed on the cocktail list at one of the city’s coolest bars – where a cocktail-making session will take place.

    Committed to providing content that gets viewers to escape from the day-to-day grind of everyday life, Cocktail Kings is all set to woo the discerning viewer.

  • Discovery Travel & Living premieres reality show ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ from 15 May

    Discovery Travel & Living premieres reality show ‘Hell’s Kitchen’ from 15 May

    MUMBAI: Taking the Theme Week series forward from 15-24 May, niche channel Discovery Travel & Living premieres India’s first cookery and chef’s life based reality programme Hell’s Kitchen. Host Gordon Ramsay’s name is synonymous with outstanding fine dining, apart from being known as the most the foulest-mouthed chef in Britain.

    With Hell’s Kitchen, Discovery Travel & Living brings an entertaining reality series like no other. Watch the Michelin starred chef who gives new meaning to the word rude and gives a whole new dictionary of new and original insults for all who appear on the show. The series will air from 15 – 19 May at 9 pm.

    Footballer turned chef Ramsay’s legendary temper precedes him and has made him a favourite with viewers abroad.

    For Ramsay, failure is not an option. In this series of Hell’s Kitchen, twelve aspiring chefs compete to impress Gordon Ramsay as he works to open a world-class restaurant and discover the next culinary star who will get to own his or her dream restaurant.

    Discovery Networks India vice president – Lifestyle Aditya Tripathi said, “Hell’s Kitchen is filled with a variety of emotions making the programme highly entertaining. Every participant has to display real nerve, mental toughness and great culinary skills to win the restaurant.”

    In Hell’s Kitchen, Ramsay is often compared to American Idol host Simon Cowell, but Ramsay actually makes Simon Cowell look very meek. Ramsay is rude and crude not only to his employees and participants but also to his customers.

    The participants have varying culinary experience but they all have a passion for food and the ambition to open their own restaurant in common. In the process of achieving perfection, Gordon unleashes on his subjects the utmost degree of battering and pressure.

    One has to be as determined and ready to risk their sanity before subjecting themselves to even attempt to cook with Ramsay breathing down their neck. Gordon Ramsay’s serves up helpings of terror, tears, tantrums and triumphs as cameras follow the competing chefs to reveal who will survive the heat of Hell’s Kitchen.

    Examples of Gordon’s wrath that makes the programme unique, captivating and entertaining, including rewards & appalling punishments:

    >Ramsay passed the two teams to his maitre d’ for a lesson in how to properly set a dining table. The teams then had to replicate a sample table containing over 90 items within a five minute time period. The winning team received an afternoon of spa treatments, while the losing team had to clean and polish all the glass and silverware and set all 100 tables in the restaurant.

    >Ramsay gave the contestants 15-minutes to create an original dish out of a tray of 15 different leftovers from the previous evening’s service.

    Ramsay became an OBE for services to the hospitality industry in Her Majesty’s New Year’s honours list for 2006. The remaining five episodes of Hell’s Kitchen will air every Monday, from 22 May till 19 June at 10 pm.

  • Discovery Travel & Living food series with Anthony Bourdain starts 1 May

    Discovery Travel & Living food series with Anthony Bourdain starts 1 May

    MUMBAI: The gastronomic Indiana Jones comes to India. This May, Discovery Travel & Living’s premieres the Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations series. Not for the faint hearted, Bourdain’s travel experiences — the good, the bad and the ugly — are presented as he travels the world with his peculiar, raw and unfiltered edge. It will air from 1 to 5 May at 9 pm.

    Bourdain is a best-selling author, reluctant food celebrity, fearless traveler, culinary adventurer whose no holds barred point of view will always reflect that experience. He is known for travelling the world seeking the authentic experiences and food that flavour the world’s cultures.

    “This is not a food show — it’s about people, cultures and places as seen through the eyes of a chef and the prism of food,” says Discovery Networks India VP- Lifestyle Aditya Tripathi.

    Apart from being positive for the restaurant business, Bourdain says the series has helped people become more educated and adventurous when it comes to food. Says Bourdain. “Food is maybe the fastest, easiest and best way ‘in’ to an unfamiliar place and culture. Once you’ve sat down with people and eaten their food, their whole world opens up to you in ways that wouldn’t ordinarily happen. Food, after all, is the purest expression of a country, of a culture, a region and a personality.”

    Anthony Bourdain was quoted in a media report on the title, No Reservations as saying,”It means that there are things I want to do, there are things I want to see, there are things I want to experience before the time that I can’t do those things. No reservations, meaning we’re going all the way, baby. No fear. My whole life, cooking has been about control. Traveling and eating are about letting things happen.”

    Bourdain is now executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles, NYC. He is the author of two novels, Gone Bamboo and Bone in the Throat and his first non-fiction work, Kitchen Confidential takes the reader into the kitchens to reveal the seamy side of the hospitality industry.

  • Discovery Travel & Living redefines primetime with new Theme Weeks series

    Discovery Travel & Living redefines primetime with new Theme Weeks series

    MUMBAI: Entertainment via television is competitive and viewer-driven. Last season’s strategy of Theme Week series on weekdays prime time has worked for the lifestyle channel Discovery Travel & Living. The channel’s current quarterly plan for April to June will continue to focus on promoting appointment viewing in the Monday to Friday 9 pm time slot.

    Accepting the truism that weekday viewing differs from weekend viewing, the channel first introduced the concept of Theme Weeks in January this year. During the week, people have more consistent and routine living patterns: They get up, go to work, come home, eat and watch TV. And, tapping these viewers by appointment with its Q1 Theme-Week strategy, Discovery Travel & Living will present thirteen new captivating themes in the next three months.
    Starting today (3 April), the channel will present the best and latest of lifestyle programming, offering viewers a better understanding and control over their television viewing. London Week is the first to be aired as part of the Theme Week series from 3 to 7 April.

    Here, viewers follow the hidden trails into London’s most renowned historic and cultural destinations. Starting with a journey deep inside the world’s most luxurious department store, Harrods, to the never before tour into Madame Tussad’s Wax Museum. Get a glimpse of London as a secret destination for high rollers and big spenders, where millions are won and lost in minutes. It’s London like you’ve never known before.

    Discovery Networks India vice president – Lifestyle Aditya Tripathi said, “Discovery Travel & Living has witnessed a considerable surge in viewership in the first three months of 2006 reflecting viewers’ endorsement of the concept of theme weeks. The strategy has also allowed us to successfully communicate the channel’s diverse programming.”
    Apart from London Week being aired this week, the Theme Weeks line-up from 10 April to 23 June includes the following:

    Miami Ink Week from 10 to 14 April: Miami Ink is a specialised tattoo shop on South Beach, Miami. This reality series showcases the ordeals of four friends and their apprentice as they try to build a thriving business based on their extraordinary art.

    American Casino Week from 17 to 21 April: This series chronicles the high pressure, high stakes world of brothers Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta and their crack management staff tasked with running the day-to-day operations of their ultra-exclusive Green Valley Ranch Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    Fashion Week from 24 to 28 April: The week is all about high-end designers and models. Filled with attitude and visual treat, this series will have viewers hooked to their television sets.

    Jeremy Clarkson Meets The Neighbour Week from 1 to 5 May: Armed with little more than his prejudices, Jeremy heads off to continental Europe to discover some surprising insights about fellow nationals – as well as his own neighbouring Brits. His liking for some and strong dislike for others is worth watching as he indulges in friendly banters. The series is at its cynical and sarcastic best.

    King of The Road Week from 8 to 12 May: This series is all about the mean beasts on the road. From Harley Davidson to Mustang, the week will uncover some of over-the-top muscle machine.

    15 to 19 May will feature the Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen Week: The mother of all reality shows, Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen is about famous chef Gordon Ramsay and his no-nonsensical and at times brutal training of contesting trainees in inculcating culinary perfection.

    France Week from 22 to 26 May will take viewers from Eiffel Tower to Notre Dame, from Moulin Rouge to Bordeaux and all through France and the historic landmarks of the country.

    Viva Las Vegas Week from 29 May to 2 June: The series encapsulates the lifestyle of the rich and famous and where they go to party.

    5 to 9 June features the Faking It Week: It tells the stories of real people who take on the challenge of transforming themselves into someone entirely different. Our “Faker” is plucked from their natural habitat and given three to four weeks to master an alien skill well enough to fool a group of industry judges. It is a nail-biting journey as our hero tries to survive and compete in a foreign world.

    Anthony Bourdain Week from 12 to 16 June: The Indiana Jones of the culinary world is at your doorstep. Travel with Anthony Bourdain as he visits countries, meets people, learns new recipes while mastering the art of cooking them.

    And, from 19 to 23 June the channel will air the Celebrity Week: Be it Madonna’s Hollywood hideaway or Paula Abdul’s private retreat or joining Jennifer Lopez for a Cuban cuisine meal, Celebrity Week will provide viewers with the passport to the life of these icons.

    With these series, Discovery Travel & Living will offer an eclectic mix of lifestyle programming to help viewers filter the clutter of prime time television to make the best use of their leisure time.