Series showcasing the people who live, work on the North Atlantic coming to Discovery
East Harbour Heroes filmed mostly in St. John’s
Wendell Collier was walking in downtown St. John’s a few years ago during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when he stopped to have a look at the hustle and bustle of the people and boats that keep St. John’s harbour going.
“Standing there, watching the busy harbour of St. John’s, it was pretty straightforward to see a show there. It was just a matter of what it was,” said Collier, who was visiting his grandmother at the time.
It was his first time in the area in several years, which offered him a new perspective when looking at the harbour.
After a bit of brainstorming, he brought his idea to a friend who works with Attraction Media. They started to tie the stories of the people to each other and how Mother Nature throws a curveball every five minutes.
What came from it is a new show debuting soon on the Discovery Channel called “East Harbour Heroes,” a “Deadliest Catch”-style show.
ABOUT THE SHOW
The show follows a variety of characters, ranging from those who work the docks to commercial fishers and anything in between.
While the beauty of Newfoundland is certainly a plus — with the cast joking they couldn’t film a bad shot — it’s really the people who drive the show, Collier explains.
“I hope to shed the light on these hardworking people who, while they’re doing this because it’s their job, at the end of the day, a lot of them are doing it for the love of it,” he said.
“That’s kind of what I hope people see, that these people are hardworking people who get up every day and want to get home safe to their families at the end of it. That takes a lot to keep going.”
PRODUCTION IN PROVINCE
Collier, who hails from the province and is a member of Miawpukek First Nation, is no stranger to the film industry. He’s worked for the last 15 years on shows for Discovery Canada, History Channel, CBC, Food Network, and HGTV.
He said it was great to be able to film the show in Newfoundland and Labrador and is very happy to see the increased activity in the industry here.
“It’s really encouraging to see the amount of production that’s coming to the island now,” he said.
“I know that there’s been an industry there for a number of years, but it really feels like it’s picking up steam, which is which is great to see. Whether it’s a large studio picture or a smaller documentary series coming in, at least there are people who are learning how to do this job and getting out getting their feet wet.”
“East Harbour Heroes” premieres Monday, May 29 at 11:30 p.m. in Newfoundland (11 p.m. in Labrador) on Discovery Channel.