“Could I Live There?” and Other New TV Series on the Travel Channel
Travel Channel is expanding its 2016 slate to include two new series that showcase popular personalities with a passion for travel and exploration. “I Adventure” (wt) is an intimate glimpse into the true enthusiasm for a special destination with actors Terry Crews, Jon Cryer and Eric Stonestreet; and “Meter’s Running” (wt) with host Andrew Zimmern, the three-time James Beard Award-winning TV personality, chef, food writer and culinary explorer, is a drive-along with a local that knows the best-kept secrets in a city, the taxi driver. The new series “Could I Live There?” follows real people faced with a life-changing decision – should I pick up the family and relocate to a new foreign city? Returning from a four-year hiatus, “Bert the Conqueror,” starring reluctant daredevil Bert Kreischer, is back for its third season.
The network is also renewing three of its most popular series: “Bizarre Foods: Delicious Destinations,” hosted by Zimmern, samples more mouth-watering and not-to-be-missed foods that define a location in its third season; hotel fixer Anthony Melchiorri’s “Hotel Impossible” is transforming struggling hotels and owners for a seventh season; and the fifth season of “Xtreme Waterparks” takes viewers on a wet and wild ride down some of the world’s most extreme waterslides.
“Travel Channel’s shows explore the world’s most beautiful and fascinating locales and connect with our audience by informing, inspiring and, perhaps most importantly –entertaining,” says Ross Babbit, senior vice president, programming and development, Travel Channel. “What makes these series so much fun to watch are the surprises that our viewers discover along the way. We head out on remarkable and well-planned adventures that somehow turn into the unexpected.”
Greenlit Productions (brief descriptions, in alphabetical order):
Series:
Could I Live There?
“Could I Live There?” follows the lives of professionals and their families as they face a tremendous opportunity – AND the biggest decision they’ll ever make. Is a life-changing job offer worth leaving behind everything to live abroad in a strange new city thousands of miles away? Each episode features the story of a family faced with relocating to a foreign country. They hop a jet and take three days to experience the sights and sounds of their prospective new home city. An insightful relocation expert tailors a whirlwind tour to their client’s specific needs and lifestyle. At the end, after they’ve seen what the city has to offer, the families have to reveal their choice – stay or go? “Could I Live There?” is greenlit for 13 half-hour episodes and is produced by Karga 7 Pictures.
I Adventure (wt)
“I Adventure” (wt) hands the camera to some of the most fascinating people in the world and asks them to explore what compels and inspires them. Celebrities travel around the world to take viewers on an intimate adventure of discovery and exploration on a variety of subjects including the marvels of space exploration with Jon Cryer, the rebirth of Motor City with Terry Crews and the intrigue of World War II espionage with Eric Stonestreet. “I Adventure” (wt) is greenlit for three one-hour episodes and is produced by Herzog & Company.
Meter’s Running (wt)
Chef Andrew Zimmern believes the best way to explore a town is to get to know the locals first and the first local he usually meets is his cabbie. In “Meter’s Running” (wt), Zimmern discovers the streets behind Main Street, the off-the-grid dives and the fun only insiders know how to find. With his guide – whether it’s a shikara driver in Kashmir, a gondolier in Venice or a taxi driver in the Deep South, Zimmern shares a locals-only experience, discovering the uniqueness of every destination. Never staying in the back seat for long, Zimmern and his driver take viewers on an entertaining behind-the-scenes adventure, exploring food and culture from a whole new perspective. “Meter’s Running” (wt) is greenlit for eight one-hour episodes and is produced by Intuitive Content.