Release Overview
World-renowned explorer Levison Wood embarks for his most ambitious journey yet for 5
4 x 60’
London: Monday 5th October 2026 – 5 has commissioned a brand-new series Levison Wood's South American Adventure produced by Blackmane Media. World-renowned explorer Levison Wood embarks for his most ambitious journey yet: four months, 10,000 miles across South America. The series is distributed internationally by Blue Ant who will launch it at MIPCOM this month.
Levison sets out from Venezuela’s lost worlds-like landscape and the spectacular Angel Falls, then pushes deep into the Amazon, over the high Andes and south through Patagonia to Tierra del Fuego. Along the way Levison and photographer and companion Alberto Cáceres, encounter extraordinary landscapes, ancient cultures, gold-mining frontiers, Indigenous cultures, extraordinary wildlife and communities fighting to protect the places they call home. It is a journey across a continent of extremes, where breathtaking beauty sits alongside danger, ancient traditions meet the modern world, and every new landscape brings another adventure.
Levison begins his 10,000-mile journey in Venezuela, heading into Canaima National Park in search of Angel Falls, a lifelong dream. After five hours by boat and a punishing jungle hike in 40-degree heat, he finally reaches the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall before taking to the air for a breathtaking view from above. But beyond the beauty, Venezuela is becoming increasingly unpredictable...
Then Levison ventures deep into the Brazilian Amazon, taking part in an intense ayahuasca ceremony before witnessing the devastating impact of illegal gold mining in Peru and travelling on to the Inca ruins of Cusco and Machu Picchu. In Bolivia, he joins the famous Cholitas wrestlers, tackles the treacherous Death Road and climbs to 6,000 metres with the Cholitas Escaladoras, before descending into the dangerous mines of Cerro Rico. As he heads south, Levison crosses Argentina’s high-altitude Puna de Atacama, embraces the life of a gaucho and travels deep into Patagonia, witnessing the aftermath of wildfires, exploring Welsh culture in Trevelin and trekking to the Perito Moreno Glacier. Crossing into Chile and back to Argentina, he discovers how pumas are returning to the wilds of Patagonia and learns the tragic history of the Selk'nam people before finally reaching Tierra del Fuego and the end of his 10,000-mile journey at the remote Mitre Peninsula. The so called ‘end of the world' right on the tip of this extraordinary continent.
Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning, 5 said: “This is an extraordinary journey, with an extraordinary adventurer as companion. Epic and close up at the same time, it’s a feast for the eyes. Levison’s insight and the empathy with those he meets make it a very special piece of travel journalism.”
Levison Wood comments: “It’s really exciting to bring my adventures to a 5 audience. This is a journey I’ve wanted to make for nearly a decade, across one of the most diverse and extraordinary continents on Earth. There was real danger and plenty of chaos along the way, but what stayed with me most were the remarkable people we met and the stories they shared. It was one of the most varied, unpredictable and exhilarating adventures I’ve ever had.”
Series Producer & Director, Reza Pakravan added: “Levison has brought some of the most exciting adventure programming to television. For him, raw adventure and authenticity always come first, which is why viewers connect with him so instinctively. This was an ambitious production, and every crew member was selected not only for their filmmaking expertise, but also for their ability to endure the gruelling journey alongside him. That shared experience allowed us to capture the adventure at its rawest and most authentic, creating unforgettable moments on screen.”
Barnaby Shingleton, SVP of Acquisitions at Blue Ant Rights & Streaming, said: "Blue Ant has distributed Levison Wood's previous adventures for many years and this latest journey is particularly epic. Levison takes audiences to some of the most iconic locations in South America, but he also shows us hidden parts of the continent far off the beaten track. Finding authentic stories in extraordinary places is Levison's expertise and we're excited to be sharing his latest travails with global audiences.”
*Elliott & Thompson will also publish a book about Levison's travels called South America: A Journey Through the Land of Gold in hardback, ebook and audiobook, publishing 14th January 2027*
Consultant Editor for Commissioning for 5, Guy Davies.
Series Producer & Director: Reza Pakravan
Executive Producers: Levison Wood & Livia Simoka
Producer: Evangeline Modell
Production Company: Blackmane Media
Distributor: Blue Ant
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Press enquiries to:
Julie Jack - julie.jack@paramount.com
Book PR – Amy Greaves– amy@eandtbooks.com
About 5:
5 is the home of award-winning content from the UK’s third largest commercial PSB, a culmination of the creative transformation of Channel 5 over more than a decade. 5 is part of the Paramount Skydance Corporation.
Through a mix of live TV channels and bingeable boxsets, the free-to-air service allows UK audiences to watch or stream the breadth of programming from the 5-branded portfolio, the dedicated preschool brand Milkshake!, and a wide selection from the wider Paramount family of brands, including BET, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV Entertainment Studios, Paramount+ and more.
In keeping with its PSB remit, 5 tells the story of modern Britain by reflecting the lives of people across the UK, featuring well-known faces and fresh new talent. Its programme roster spans original UK drama, premium factual, true crime, science, news & current affairs and kids’ content, which continue to attract critical acclaim.
Recent wins include ‘Channel of the Year’ at the 2025 Edinburgh TV Awards, BAFTA Television and RTS Awards for the documentary White Nanny, Black Child in 2024, along with a BAFTA nomination for Endurance Race to the Pole. Factual hit The Yorkshire Vet and the broadcaster’s series on air fryers also won RTS Yorkshire awards, while Michael Palin received the Radio Times Special Judges Award for his Channel 5 documentaries.
About Blackmane Media:
Blackmane Media is an award-winning independent British production company specialising in premium factual television, adventure and documentary filmmaking. Co-founded by explorer Levison Wood, the company brings together experienced filmmakers and expedition specialists to produce ambitious stories in some of the world's most remote and challenging environments.
Its productions include Arabia with Levison Wood, nominated for Best Documentary Series at the 2020 Broadcast Awards, and Expedition Borderlands, winner of Best Travel Show at the 2023 Indian Telly Awards. Other credits include Levison Wood: Walking With... (Channel 4), Ukraine: On the Front Line with Johnny Mercer (Channel 4 Dispatches, Where Great Minds Meet (CNBC), alongside many other documentaries and factual productions.
www.blackmanemedia.com
About Levison Wood:
Levison Wood is a world-renowned British explorer, bestselling author, photographer and documentary presenter. His critically acclaimed television series have been broadcast internationally on networks including Channel 4, Discovery and Sky. He is the author of twelve bestselling books and has just finished writing his thirteenth title, South America: A Journey Through the Land of Gold.
Levison has travelled and filmed in more than 120 countries, undertaking major expeditions including walking the length of the Nile, the Himalayas and Central America, crossing the Caucasus and circumnavigating the Arabian Peninsula. A former officer in the British Army's Parachute Regiment, he is Chancellor of the University of Staffordshire, an elected Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and The Explorers Club, and a UNICEF UK Ambassador. Levison Wood is represented by www.wolfsongmedia.co.uk
www.levisonwood.com
