INDIAN OCEAN – SIMON REEVE

Did anyone watch the first programme in Simon Reeve’s new 6-part series last night?

Simon is what I can only describe as an adventurer with a conscience, travelling the globe in search of thought-provoking stories and it is always great to see him on his occasional visits to the office when I listen increasingly wide-eyed, to his latest exploits.

His current series is epic in scale, and in his own words: Travelling around the Indian Ocean was an extreme and extraordinary adventure that took me from the horrors of Mogadishu to the beauty of the Maldives. I went to some of the most incredible places on the planet and got my feet onto picture-postcard beaches I previously only imagined in my dreams. But the journey wasn’t just about sunny beaches. I’m really keen for viewers to understand more about the lives of people who live around the Indian Ocean, so the team and I delved into stories of poverty, conflict, drugs, smuggling, and piracy. We filmed amazing sights and dark issues, along with wildlife, history, current affairs and culture. It was fascinating to explore this incredible region, on a journey that showed me there’s so much more to the Indian Ocean than just gorgeous holiday islands. The Indian Ocean is a vast, stunning and tantalising area of our world.

Some of his encounters are shocking, from political to ecological, in stark contrast to the backdrop of breathtakingly beautiful landscapes.

You can watch episode one on BBC i-player and see the first leg of Simon’s journey as it takes him from South Africa, through Mozambique, and on to the tropical island of Zanzibar.

Episode two is on BBC2 at 8pm next Sunday (29th April).

 

SIMON REEVE – WORLD TRAVELLER

I enjoyed yesterday, Rosemary Scoular introduced me to her client Simon Reeve.

Simon has been to almost every country in the world, and calling him a travel presenter doesn’t come close to describing his work. His background in investigative writing gives added depth to his travel documentaries and we are given a rich mix of current affairs and travelogues in every programme.

His series include Equator, Tropic of Capricorn (described by the Daily Mail as 5 Stars…a series that will go down as one of the high points of the television year…brilliant…hugely enjoyable…eye-opening…amazing sights…a fascinating, illuminating journey), Explore and Tropic of Cancer (watch a clip here).

I for one will be watching Simon’s new 6 part series for BBC2 which will be on our screens in a couple of months (he’ll be off for a month shortly to finish filming the last episode).

Indian Ocean is an extraordinary adventure taking Simon to 16 countries, as he braves the horrors of Mogadishu in Somalia, perhaps the most dangerous place on the planet, and travels on to the beautiful Maldives, Mauritius and the Seychelles.

On his journey Simon encounters pirates, dives with sharks, patrols with Dutch Special Forces, goes underwater spear-fishing, dines in an underwater restaurant, stumbles into a seedy drug-den, visits a 5-star seaside palace housing thousands of refugees, meets a Yorkshireman on his Seychelles island paradise, and has close encounters with the amazing wildlife of the Indian Ocean, including lemurs, penguins, dolphins, elephants and dozens of manta rays.

Sounds amazing doesn’t it? And I have to admit that having met Simon in the flesh, I think he will definitely be giving Dr Brian Cox a run for his money.