Modern fatherhood to be tested in C4 survival series
Channel 4 has commissioned a new documentary series that will put modern fathers’ parenting to the test in wilderness survival situations.
In Kings of the Jungle (w/t) from Twenty Twenty Television, explorer and former British Army captain Ed Stafford sets up an extreme wilderness camp in Costa Rica, to put the dads and their kids through some demanding outdoor challenges.
Stafford maintains that modern British fatherhood is in trouble, that the men are too soft, comfortable and risk-averse. His view of a dad’s role is to test, challenge and push their offspring, to ‘strengthen’ the children.
Stafford posited: “Increasingly the odds are stacked against you as a parent. You find yourself having to swim against the tide to simply do what’s best for your kids.
"For me connection is everything; this isn’t about parenting techniques - that stuff is instinctive - rather this is an extreme fast-track to a deeper connection between dads and their children in a modern world where that is more tenuous and harder to achieve than ever."
James O’Reilly, Twenty Twenty creative director added: “We all know Ed as a legend of survival and adventure, but he’s also a father who is incredibly passionate and thoughtful about his role in his kids’ lives. We’re thrilled to be working with him and Channel 4 on this new format which promises to be a transformative experience for ordinary dads in Britain. We can’t wait to bring it to the screen.”
The commissioning editors are Anna Miralis and Madonna Benjamin.
Image via C4 press office.
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