WILDERNESS WITH SIMON REEVE
Simon Reeve explores the planet’s most remote environments
Documentary filmmaker Simon Reeve started his TV travels by visiting the world’s most dangerous trouble spots. Now, with more than 100 countries under his belt, the intrepid explorer is travelling to some of the least-visited destinations on the planet. ‘I’m going in search of the vast, remote areas where nature still has the upper hand,’ explains Simon, whose four-part series takes in Africa’s Congo rainforest and Kalahari Desert, South
America’s Patagonia and the Coral Triangle region of the Pacific. Simon’s first expedition is to the world’s second largest rainforest in central Africa, where he hopes to track down nomadic huntergatherers, the Baka, and the elusive bonobo ape, one of man’s closest relatives.
‘The Baka have lived in the rainforest for tens of thousands of years,’ says
Simon, who undertakes a gruelling trek through dense jungle to reach them.
Crossing into the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Simon slogs through more dense jungle in search of the bonobo. He’s almost given up hope when the team suddenly encounters a group of the endangered apes.
Simon admits it was hard not to think of Sir David Attenborough’s famous 1979 TV encounter with mountain gorillas.
‘You can’t watch Attenborough for your entire life and not have that permeating through a situation like that!’ he smiles. ‘But it’s me there!’
I’m here today to do something worthwhile.’
Niall cares for dogs needing medical treatment and feeds a huge number of strays every day. Currently, he spends around £20,000 of his own money each month, but he hopes to build a sustainable charity. ‘I cooked for the rich and famous but now my life is based around happiness and dogs,’ says Niall. ‘When you see 10 dogs wagging their tails coming towards you, it makes you feel alive!’