BBC Earth‘s The Last Overland: Singapore to London (4×60′; HD) follows British adventurer, historian and award-winning documentary filmmaker Alex Bescoby as he travels more than 13,000 miles to recreate the iconic 1955 Oxford and Cambridge Far Eastern Expedition made famous by six university graduates determined to drive the entire length of ‘Eurasia.’ Sir David Attenborough, a young producer known then as “David,” chronicled the Land Rover’s 1955 expedition from London to Singapore in the BBC series Traveller’s Tales. Now, Alex Bescoby wants to bring the original 65-year-old Land Rover Series One home to London, an idea that became an irresistible challenge after he heard Sir David Attenborough comment publicly: “I don’t think [the journey] could be made again today.” The Last Overland: Singapore to London is on a mission to prove it possible and Sir David wrong. The four-part series premieres Thursday, June 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on BBC Earth in Canada.
Coming on the heartwarming adventure is one of the original expedition team members, 87-year-old Tim Slessor. Tim’s book, The First Overland, inspired generations of adventurers to hit the road. The plan is to cross two continents, 23 countries and some of the highest and most dangerous roads on planet Earth while investigating how the world has changed since the 1950s, exploring themes of family ties, post-colonialism and the Land Rover religion.
“Over 60 years ago, the First Overland captivated a nation,” says Alex Bescoby. “For the first time it brought countries like Iran, Nepal and Burma onto British screens, which before then had only been named on a map. Setting out in the same old car six decades later, we found so much of the world they drove through has faded and gone. But we soon learned the draw of a mad adventure is eternal!”
The Last Overland is produced by Grammar Productions and distributed by Entertainment One. It is produced and narrated by Alex Bescoby, directed by Léopold Belanger and executive produced by Rebecca Dobbs.
