Home TV News Ross Kemp Hunts For Britain’s Tiger Kings On ITV

Ross Kemp Hunts For Britain’s Tiger Kings On ITV

by Dave Elliott

Ross Kemp Hunts For Britain’s Tiger Kings On ITV

Lions and tigers and bears, oh my… it’s Ross Kemp! Having spent years dodging bullets in war zones, and meeting dangerous gangs around the world, the actor/presenter is now hunting Britain’s very own tiger and lion kings – those who keep dangerous wild animals – in a new two-part documentary series for ITV.

The new series, currently with the working title of ‘Britain’s Tiger Kings – On The Trail With Ross Kemp’, features the award-winning documentary maker going on a journey to discover why anyone would want to keep a 250kg feline, and asking whether it is in the best interests of the animal to do so.

“When I first started making these films I didn’t think it was possible to privately own a lion or a tiger in this country. I’ve found it truly eye-opening and disturbing to discover just how easy it is to source one and get permission to keep it legally,” commented Kemp. “These programmes explore what motivates someone to want to own a wild animal – whether it be a tiger, a lion, a 20ft snake or even a crocodile, and whether it is right to do so. It certainly is a complex and emotive subject, and I found that some of the people who kept wild animals were quite extraordinary.”

“It’s important to remember that all the big cats I came into contact with were born into captivity and therefore wouldn’t survive in the wild,” he continues. “But when I asked if they would consider sending their cat to a sanctuary which offers something close to a natural habitat – the answer was often no.”

It’s understood there are about 4,000 animals including lions, tigers, bears, crocodiles and giant snakes in private hands in the country, and in the programmes, filmed in line with Covid rules, Ross meets a man who keeps two lions in his back garden, and a couple who have used the profits from their scrap metal business to build a 200-strong animal collection. Ross also meets a former circus trainer who now trains animals for television programmes, films and adverts who keeps tigers among his menagerie.

In one instance, Ross discovers that the rescued big cats have caused fierce division in the village where they are kept, with some neighbours expressing concern about the wellbeing of the big cats. The owner tells Ross they love him and are like ‘puppy dogs’. Ross also travels to Munich, where he unwittingly ends up in a cage with a lion…

“You’d think keeping big cats and other dangerous wild animals privately would only be possible in America, but incredibly there are big cats, primates, elephants, and crocodiles being kept by individuals in Britain,” adds Ed Taylor, who exec produces the doc. “In this eye-opening series Ross meets the men and women that share their lives with animals that could potentially kill them, and investigates the many issues surrounding ownership.”

Produced by Honey Bee (‘Agatha Christie: 100 Years of Poirot’, ‘Frontmen’, ‘Reelz’) in association with Freshwater Films, the 2-part programme is executive produced by Ed Taylor and Ross Kemp, and produced by Johnny McDevitt.

“This is an untold story about an extraordinary world that exists on our doorsteps,” adds ITV’s Controller of Factual, Jo Clinton-Davis. “Lifting the lid on these characters and the creatures inhabiting their lives, the series explores the realities of life for the owners and for these dangerous species themselves, which can be shocking and surprising in equal measure.”

‘Britain’s Tiger Kings – On The Trail With Ross Kemp’ (w/t) is set to premiere Spring 2021 on ITV.

You may also like

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments