Channel 5 take Ben Fogle and Dwayne Fields up the Nile

Ben Fogle and Dwayne Fields are returning to Channel 5 with the second instalment of their immersive, historical adventures.

Endurance: Race for the Nile will see these latter-day adventurers step back in time to re-explore the intense and gripping story of the indomitable, idealistic and egotistical Victorian explorers who risked it all to find The Source of the Nile.

Denise Seneviratne, Commissioning Editor, Factual, Channel 5:

“Ben, Dwayne and the entire October Films team did an incredible job bringing Shackleton, Scott and Amundsen’s South Pole expedition back to life – this next series will push the boundaries further still. You might think you know the story of the race for the Nile – wait until you see it told like this. Channel 5 viewers will be immersed in the visceral experience of these Victorian explorers with blood, sweat and  fear.”

The Nile. The world’s longest river and the cradle of civilisation. For thousands of years, it’s been wrapped in mystery, The Source undiscovered in the impregnable heart of Africa. In the nineteenth century, a roll-call of charismatic Victorian explorers, pioneered by Dr David Livingtsone, set out to map Africa, a vast, uncharted continent, with one mission consuming them all; to find The Source of the Nile.  This elusive Holy Grail of exploration is an obsession for Victorian Britain and still captivates us today.

During a frenzied period in 1800’s, rival expeditions set off into the hostile African interior, risking it all for the glory of finding The Source.  Driven on by patriotic fervour and personal pride, the legendary explorers Livingstone, Burton, Speke and Stanley all push themselves to breaking point and beyond.  The stakes could not be higher and while their journeys are fraught with danger,  for the winner of the Race For the Nile, immortality and global fame awaits.

Fresh from conquering the South Pole, Ben Fogle and Dwayne Fields follow in the footsteps of these pioneering Victorian explorers across punishing terrain, wearing their clothes, eating their food and relying on their kit.   Along the way, they find themselves wrestling with Britain’s controversial colonial history – revisiting an era of not just exploration, but of exploitation.

Ben Fogle:

“I cannot wait to be reunited with Dwayne and step back in time for another huge adventure. This isn’t just a journey down the Nile; it’s a deep dive into the minds of the Victorian adventurers who risked everything in pursuit of the ultimate prize – the elusive Source of the Nile. It’s a story of ambition, rivalry, and resilience, and I can’t wait for viewers to experience this incredible adventure alongside them. The reaction to Race to the Pole was like nothing I could have imagined and I can’t wait to join October and Channel 5 to bring help bring this timeless tale back to life.”

Dwayne Fields:

“Looking forward to teaming up with Ben again and heading out on another great adventure, the story of ‘The search for the source of Nile’. This is going to be completely different to the last series but can I can’t wait to bring this epic adventure to life!’’