Save the whales
JOHN BISHOP JOINS A MISSION TO DELIVER TWO BELUGAS FROM CAPTIVITY IN CHINA TO FREEDOM IN ICELAND
IN the unlikeliest of friendships, Scouse comic John Bishop has fallen in love with two beluga whales from China. The passionate animal-lover joined a team to bring the incredible creatures from captivity back to the wild.
The result – captured in this two-part documentary – is a Free Willy type adventure that became a complicated and emotional journey for all involved.
Little White and Little Grey are the two beluga whales who were captured as youngsters.
For the last ten years they have been living together, performing in an entertainment park, Changfeng Ocean World, in China.
Now, the new owners of the park are committed to returning them to a life in the ocean and we can follow them every step of the way.
“They’re in a prison but they don’t know it’s a prison,” says John. “It can’t be right to have creatures like this, in a tank. “This is a world first, we’re going to try to take two beluga whales from Shanghai and release them in Iceland. This project will, literally, change the landscape for these mammals.”
But the move was beset by challenges including bad weather, cancelled ferries and changing logistics.
“What could possibly go wrong?” says John. “Well as it happens, just about everything.” As John follows their journey, he develops an astonishing with the whales, bond swimming with them and helping to train and coach them. But can he and the team save them? He says: “You just hope with every ounce of your heart that it’s going to turn out for the good.”