LONDON 28 June 2022: Channel 5 has announced today, at Sheffield DocFest 2022, an exhilarating new series, Dinosaur - with Stephen Fry - to be presented in a four-day landmark event by legendary actor, writer, and dinosaur enthusiast, Stephen Fry.  Dinosaur- with Stephen Fry will chronologically tell the definitive story of 165 million years on earth - from the dawn of the dinosaurs to their extinction. The ground-breaking series is to be produced by the Award-winning independent TV production company Mentorn Media, and is commissioned for Channel 5 by Commissioning Editor, [Factual], Channel 5 & P+, Guy Davies. The series is co-produced by Krempelwood, and Executive Producers are Tayte Simpson, Chris Brogden, Blair Krempel and Mark Wood.   

A four-part (4 x 60) factual series, Dinosaur- with Stephen Fry will invite Channel 5 audiences to immerse themselves in a new and magical Dinosaur World, constructed with help from CGI experts, and scientists from the Natural History Museum.  Working with specialist Manchester based production studio Dock10, who previously designed virtual studios for the Tokyo Olympics, the series will be anchored in a specially created space that allows the complete freedom to roam around an accurate representation of a prehistoric environment. Breaking new boundaries on Channel 5, the cutting-edge technology from Dock10 has mainly been used in sport, but will  now be fully realised in factual television for the very first time.    

Based on the latest research, Dock10 has designed incredibly accurate dinosaur species to populate the Dinosaur World. Each creature is brought to life by behind-the-scenes animators to move, walk, hunt and roar - like a dinosaur safari, audiences will see the creatures magically roving around.  With recent developments in CGI and animation, Dock10 has produced highly realistic dinosaurs with cutting edge technology used in high-end video games.  The graphics run on Unreal Engine technology – which has the capabilities to create impressive hair, feather and scale details for the different dinosaur skins featured on this series, as well as incredible lighting capabilities to make each dinosaur look photorealistic.  It is all brought to life in real time whilst Stephen Fry is in the studio, so he can see and interact with the dinosaurs.   

The 360-degree Dinosaur World has been designed to allow viewers to travel through different environments across the series and immerse in an incredibly detailed and hyper-realistic representations of the jungles of the Jurassic period and the plains of the Cretaceous period. Each episode will see a new species introduced to the World – including packs of raptors, a grazing herd of diplodocus, and a majestic T-rex.   

 As Stephen gets up close with the awe-inspiring creatures, he will entertainingly inform audiences about each one, revealing interesting specialist factual content along the way.  Stephen will take viewers on a journey through different prehistoric eras, highlighting iconic dinosaurs and uncovering new scientific discoveries.   

Experts will also step into this photorealistic environment, tracking down dinosaurs across the landscape to reveal the secrets of the prehistoric world.  Every episode will be packed with illuminating footage where Stephen, as well as an assorted cast of experts, will bring insights from the most fascinating dinosaur places in the UK.  Also featured in every episode is our specially created DinoLab where through MythBusters-style experiments engineers will answer questions such as ‘how powerful was a T-rex bite?’, and did the raptors really have sharp claws that could disembowel prey?   

Stephen Fry says: “Dinosaurs have always been a passion of mine, so I jumped at the opportunity to lend my excitement and curiosity to immerse audiences back in time 250 million years. The attention to detail and technology in this series allows us to really delve deep in to some exciting new scientific discoveries about these majestic creatures. It is exciting to be working with Mentorn and Dock10 to bring this world to life, and Channel 5 for the very first time, as their factual landmarks are known for cutting through and resonating with new audiences across the UK”.   

Commissioning Editor, [Factual], Channel 5 & P+ Guy Davies says: “We are thrilled to be working with Stephen on such a ground-breaking series. Dinosaur offers everything audiences have always wanted to know in one entertaining and information packed TV event. It will be specialist factual content, but with an accessible and entertaining twist, using cutting-edge technology to really immerse the viewers in the magical and awe-inspiring world of the dinosaurs.”   

Tayte Simpson, Executive Producer at Mentorn Media, says: “Using the virtual technology like this has been really exciting, working with Doc10 to push it in ways that it’s not been used before.  We’re delighted to be producing this series for Channel 5 and working with Stephen Fry, the perfect host to help provide an entertaining take on specialist factual.”   

Dinosaur- with Stephen Fry is commissioned by Guy Davies for Channel 5, and executive produced by Tayte Simpson and Chris Brogden at Mentorn Media. The series is co-produced by Krempelwood with Blair Krempel and Mark Wood as Executive Producers. The Series Director for Dinosaur- with Stephen Fry is David Lee. It will be distributed by Passion Distribution.     

ENDS  

For more information please contact: Jamila Atta – jamila.atta@vimn.com   

NOTES TO EDITORS: 

About Channel 5 

Channel 5 is a public service broadcaster and the UK’s third largest commercial TV station. Launched in March 1997, Channel 5 has been part of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS) since its acquisition in September 2014. Channel 5 and its digital brands – 5STAR, 5USA, 5Select, 5ACTION and the on-demand service My5 – offer a diverse range of issue-led documentaries & popular factual celebrating the British countryside and drawing talent to the channel, accessible history, premium drama and critically-acclaimed children’s, news and current affairs programming. Through its agenda-driving commissions, Channel 5 leads on societal issues from inequality to homelessness and mental health, aiming to tell the story of modern Britain by reflecting the lives of people across the nation. In 2018, Channel 5 won its first BAFTA for Cruising with Jane McDonald. The following year, Raped: My Story won best Single Documentary at RTS. In 2020, it won crowned Channel of the Year at the Broadcast Awards and by the RTS. In addition that year, it secured its first ever Grierson award win in the ‘Best Single Documentary – Domestic’ category with Suicidal: In Our Own Words. In 2021, it won best factual entertainment at the Broadcast Awards for Springtime on the Farm. It also won best drama at Voice of the Listener & Viewer for All Creatures Great & Small the same year. 

 About Mentorn Media   

 Mentorn Media is one of the longest established and most trusted providers of television content in the UK. Since 1985, Mentorn and Mentorn Scotland have made thousands of hours for broadcasters, both in the UK and worldwide, from two main production hubs in London and Glasgow. From Secrets of an ISIS Smartphone (BBC) to Children of the Cult (Discovery), and Traffic Cops (Channel 5) to agenda-setting factual and current affairs programming such as Question Time (BBC) and Debate Night (BBC Scotland), Mentorn Media has established itself as an industry leader with a long track record for creating returnable factual entertainment formats