Dara Ó Briain is returning to Channel 5 for a new 2-part series in which he explores the immense power of volcanoes.
Volcano with Dara Ó Briain sees the comedian and presenter head to Italy for a close-up look at Stromboli, whose constant eruptions have earned its nickname Lighthouse of the Mediterranean; Mount Etna, where volcanic soils produce some of the best wines in the world; and Vesuvius, where a devastating eruption thousands of years ago buried a city and its inhabitants.
The series, which was co-produced by BBC Studios Science Unit and Krempelwood, follows Ó Briain’s previous series for Channel 5 in which he explored the moon, the pyramids and the sun.
Ó Briain said: “What an adventure! I got to clamber up the side of live volcanoes, and watch plumes of lava explode into the air; I learned how close we live to these magnificent, unstoppable monsters and saw how real their threat is.
“Then we drank wine from volcanic soil, ate the best pizza in the world and learned how to love life, under the shadow of destruction. Who said Geology was just rocks!”
Denise Seneviratne, Commissioning Editor, Unscripted, Channel 5 added: “Volcanoes have always captivated me.
“How insignificant we are in the face of the power of nature – I think this will really resonate with our viewers and who better to bring this to life than Dara Ó Briain with his enthusiasm and fresh outlook.
“Working with BBC Studios once again, who bring their expertise and creativity to the series, has been a real pleasure.”
Rob Liddell, Executive Producer for BBC Studios, commented: “It is really exciting to be working with Dara again on this incredible trip to Europe’s most volcanic hotspot.
“Dara uses his unique combination of amazing wit and passion for knowledge to uncover one of Earth’s most powerful forces. With him as our guide and BBC Studios Science Unit’s reputation for outstanding programming we’ve created a series that I believe will thrill audiences.”
Blair Krempel, Krempelwood, added: “This is our third series working with BBC Studios and Dara for Channel 5, we’ve been to the moon and the sun so it’s great to be working with them again on this exciting adventure to explore Italy’s volcanoes.”