S4C orders wild swimming doc
S4C has commissioned a three-part documentary following presenter Gareth Jones’ journey as he attempts to swim 60km across Wales to mark his 60th birthday.
Jones is best known for his work on children’s and science programmes such as Get Fresh and The Big Bang, but he is also a passionate ‘wild swimmer’.
In the 3 x 60 ob-doc, called Gareth Jones: Nofio Adre (Swimming Home), cameras will follow Jones as he swims across lakes and reservoirs from south to north Wales in three weeks. It comes from north Wales-based production company Cwmni Da, known for adventure documentaries. Llion Iwan is co-exec producer with Jones; Huw Erddyn is producer/director.
Jones said: "It's going to be a huge challenge but I'm going to give it my best shot. What a wonderful way to rediscover my homeland exploring stories around and beneath the water. This should feel immersive for the viewers too, combining classic documentary techniques with innovative computer graphics revealing the world below and log my biological data as I swim."
"I don't know if I can do this, but what I do know is that it's never been done before. I'm hoping to become the man who swam across Wales!"
Filming will take place in August with TX set for October.
Image via S4C.
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