The Adventure Show to return to screen after being controversially axed by BBC
The Adventure Show is to make its return to the screen after being controversially axed at the end of last year.
However, the award-winning Newtonmore production is only coming back as a two-part special for now.
There were loud calls for the ‘football obsessed’ BBC Scotland to perform a U-turn after bosses made their shock announcement in December, last year, to end the long-running outdoor sports and adventure series.
Supporters of the show which showcases minority TV sports - but ones which have huge participation numbers - were left furious with the decision by Beeb executives.
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But it has just been confirmed that the Adventure Show will return with two special programmes towards the end of August covering the new ITERA Adventure Race.
The hour-long shows will be on BBC Scotland and BBC Alba and will be quite different to the previous format.
The BBC Scotland programme will focus on the teams entering the race, whilst the Alba production will follow the race fortunes of the Adventure Show team consisting of four of Scotland’s top adventure racers - a view from right inside this event.
Paul McGreal, of Durty Events, who helped lead the campaign for the show’s reinstatement last December, said: “We’re delighted to see the Adventure Show return, and particularly excited that it will feature the ITERA Adventure Race which will visit the Strathspey area.
“We were really disappointed and when BBC Scotland announced last year that the programme would not be recommissioned.
“It’s an essential part of Scotland’s event and outdoor infrastructure – it showcases places, events, and positive healthy activities that inspire people to get active in our amazing landscapes.
“Events generate significant health, economic and cultural benefits – and are extremely important to Scotland’s success.
“We hope that these programmes will be a success and will lead to the BBC recommissioning this unique, positive, relevant and popular show on a permanent basis.”
Another critic of the decision, Strathspey MSP Fergus Ewing (Independent) said: ““This is encouraging news given the worry last year the show was over.
“We must see what the new offers but it appears those who campaigned hardest on this - many in this part of Scotland - have achieved some success so congratulations on their efforts and to the Strathy for highlighting and giving extensive coverage to the campaign.”
The award-winning team of Richard Else and Meg Wicks based on Old Glen Road are behind the Adventure Show which is now in its 20th year.
Mr Else is delighted that the show is getting more airtime and said it has had major spin-offs for the strath.
He commented: “We’ve brought a fair amount of money into the Highland economy over the past two decades and encouraged new talent and also shown that Badenoch can be a great place for media production.”
The Newtonmore team’s cameras will follow almost certainly the hardest and most challenging adventure race ever to be staged in Scotland.
The ITERA - being organised by Durty Events - will take place over six days beginning on Sunday 10 August.
Race headquarters will be Badaguish and the whole event showcases the best of Scotland’s wild locations to the rest of the world.
The event is drawing an international field of top adventure athletes who compete in teams of four.
But the race is non-stop so competitors have to grab food, rest and sleep whenever they can.
Competitors know there are a number of disciplines including mountain biking, hill running and kayaking, however, they will not know anything about the route until the day before.
There is no predefined route so teams must decide the best way to get from one transition stage to another.
Within the race there are a number of checkpoints - teams can miss out one or more of the these but will incur a time penalty.
Modern devices like GPSs are banned. To make the athletes’ life more difficult, there are also a number of special stages. These are challenges along the way that they need to undertake and which will further test them.
The Adventure Show team - which will be competing as the Blustering Gaels - is being captained by host, Calum Maclean (Aberfeldy), one of Scotland’s best known wild swimmers.
He is being joined by fellow show presenter triathlete Marie Meldrum, former Commonwealth Games competitor and cycling ambassador Kerry MacPhee (Stirling), and experienced adventure racer and kayak expert Angus Murray (Isle of Skye).