TV hard man Kemp turns tree-hugger for new Sky show

by Jennifer Whitehead, Brand Republic 21-Oct-09, 10:10

LONDON - Documentary filmmaking's hard man Ross Kemp is turning his sights on global warning, with two new programmes about deforestation in the Amazon rainforest to screen next year.

The documentaries are part of Sky Rainforest Rescue, a joint effort with environmental charity WWF to help save a billion trees.

The campaign runs for three years and takes the form of fundraising, programme making and creating economic incentives for local businesses to make logging less appealing.

Sky viewers are being asked to make donations at www.sky.com/rainforestrescue. To kick start the project, Sky will match donations pound for pound, up to a joint target of £4m.

Kemp is to travel to the Amazon to look at the impact of deforestation in two documentaries to be shown on Sky1 HD next spring.

He has made a series of programmes for Sky, including 'Ross Kemp in Afghanistan', 'Ross Kemp In Search of Pirates', 'Ross Kemp Meets The Glue Kids' as well as the Bafta award-winning 'Ross Kemp On Gangs'.

Other programming will include 'Children of the Amazon' on Sky 1 and Sky Anytime, and 'Rivers and Life' on Nat Geo Wild HD and Sky Anytime, as part of Sky's Rainforest Week starting on Monday.

Jeremy Darroch, chief executive of Sky, said: "Rainforests are crucial to the fight against dangerous climate change. Yet, an area the size of three football pitches is being destroyed every minute in the Amazon alone.

"We're asking everyone to join us to help stop this destruction by donating to Sky Rainforest Rescue."