Ben Fogle is travelling to the Congo for his latest adventure series (Picture: Channel 5/PA Wire)
Ben Fogle will be channelling his inner Indiana Jones for a new TV series about the Republic of Congo.
The Channel 5 show will see the TV adventurer, 49, ‘fully immerse’ himself in the African country, encountering the wildlife and ancient tribespeople while living and sleeping in the jungle, as well as taking on challenging journeys through the terrain.
‘It was tough finding somewhere new and exciting for Ben to visit with an adventurer CV like his.
‘In the Congo you’ve got danger and natural wonder in equal measure and the result is extraordinary. He gives Indiana Jones a run for his money,’ commissioning editor of unscripted for the broadcaster, Federico Ruiz, teased.
Ben will explore the ‘beating heart of Africa’ for a three-part documentary series to better understand the area which is still ‘steeped in great myth and misconception’, the broadcaster said.
Speaking about the series, Ben, who has rowed across the Atlantic, climbed Everest, raced to the South Pole and run across the Sahara, said: ‘The Congo was one of the most memorable expeditions I have ever been on.
Channel 5 said it was ‘tough’ to find somewhere ‘new and exciting’ for Ben (Picture: Shutterstock)
Ben said it had been a childhood dream of his to visit the Congo (Picture: REX/Shutterstock)
‘It surprised me, it moved me, and it inspired me.
‘I have wanted to explore the Congo since I was a child, when I first read about the mighty Congo river, so the trip was a lifelong ambition that was more than I could have imagined.’
The 60-minute episodes will see the Congo as the home to the second largest rainforest in the world – after the Amazon – while the Congo Basin has become one of the top destinations in the world for explorers.
Ben’s efforts in the new series has been compared to Indiana Jones (Picture: Paramount Plus)
(Picture: Lucasfilm/Paramount Pictures/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock)
Chris Brogden and Tayte Simpson, executive producers at Mentorn Media, said: ‘Producing this series was an extraordinary experience, showing the breadth of the Congo’s culture and natural beauty.
‘Ben spent time with one the world’s most extreme tribes, one that has never let cameras in before.
‘The filming proved to be profound and magical.’
It comes after Ben teased the possibility of reviving the Castaway island 23 years after the show launched his career.
Sharing a photo of himself with the shore in the background, he wrote on Instagram: ‘The owners of Taransay are looking for someone to help restore the island and protect its social and cultural heritage.
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‘It would make a great social enterprise working alongside the community of Harris to help restore the islands biodiversity but also to evolve the island.’
Ben has also recently been doing his bit to reunite an actual real life Australian castaway with his beloved dog Bella after they spent weeks together lost at sea
Into The Congo With Ben Fogle is expected to come to Channel 5 later this year.
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MORE : Ben Fogle teases plans to restore Castaway island for show’s return 23 years after launching career
The programme will have ‘danger and natural wonder in equal measure.’