Viacom's Channel 5 Hooks 'Deadliest Catch'-Esque Celebrity Fishing Format

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EXCLUSIVE: Celebrity chef and Great British Menu star Antony Worrall Thompson, Boyzone star Shane Lynch and England rugby player Ben Cohen are to star in a four-part celebrity fishing format for Viacom’s Channel 5.

The British broadcaster has ordered Call Yourself a Fisherman (w/t), from Eden producer Keo Films’ Bristol division. The show sees three celebrities put themselves into one of the most dangerous jobs in Britain – being a trawlerman. The celebrities join the crew of a deep-sea trawler for 12 days off the North West coast of Scotland going in search of monkfish, cod and haddock in the Deadliest Catch-esque show.

It is produced by Keo’s Matt Cole and was ordered by C5 Commissioning Editor Adrian Padmore. The latter said that the show will mix fishing with Brexit. “For us, it’s about taking something that really matters to people in the UK and asks what’s the way in and how do we make it entertaining,” he said.

The four-parter, which was unveiled at the Sheffield Doc/Fest, is one of a number of new factual commissions for the commercial network including docs on money-lending, emergency teams and the return of critically acclaimed Gangland.

Brian Hill’s Century Films is making The Loan Shop, which addresses the nationwide issue of money problems and gives a real insight into who, and exactly why, people desperately need to borrow money. The series has access to one of the country’s leading money lending stores nationwide and its clients. Commissioned by Commissioning Editor Factual Guy Davies and executive produced by Brian Hill for Century Films.

Keshet-backed Crackit Productions is making Tower Block Kids and Casualty 24/7. Tower Block Kids is a two-part documentary that follows eight children who explain what it like for a young person growing up in a tower block community. Commissioned by Sebastian Cardwell, Channel Manager and Commissioning Executive and executive produced by Elaine Hackett for Crackit Productions. Hackett is also exec producing Casualty 24/7, which was ordered by Davies. The four-part series follows the day to day stresses of an over-worked medical emergency team, at Barnsley Casualty Department.

Single Mum, Super Mum is produced by Blakeway North and charts the highs and lows of single motherhood. The three-part series was commissioned by Daniel Pearl, Commissioning Editor and is Executive Produced by Fran Baker for Blakeway North Productions.

Finally, Gangland, the acclaimed doc by Maroon Films, which gained unprecedented access to Britain’s urban gangs, is back for a second run. The doc will follow gangs across the UK and also film them over months with the families who have lost teenagers over the last year. Commissioned by Davies and Executive Produced by Paul Blake for Maroon Productions.

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