New on
Discovery Channel in August, 2008:
Ultimate OlympicsPremiered: Saturday 2 August 2008 at 13h45
As Beijing prepares itself for the 2008 Olympic Games, Ultimate Olympics takes a look behind the scenes to discover what it takes to create a setting worthy of such an historic event.
TVSA's Ultimate Olympics Mini-Site.
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My Shocking StoryPremiere date: Thursday, 14 August 2008 at 21h00
My Shocking Story follows the emotional stories taken by people battling with extraordinary medical conditions as they try to lead normal lives.
Meet 45-year-old Vicki, who has one leg so out of proportion to her body that it doesn’t even look like a part of her. Watch the story of Indonesian fisherman Dede, who has tree-like branches growing out of his arms and legs in place of hands and toes. These people are desperate to find a cure for their condition.
For some of them it’s a matter of life or death; for others, it's about being accepted and learning to live in the body they have been given to them so they can live their lives as happily as they can.
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Race To DakarPremiere date: Thursday, 28 August 2008 at 17h30
Following on from The Long Way Round ( the adventure he went on with Ewan McGregor), Charley Boorman enters the 2006 Dakar Rally.
With competitors starting in Lisbon, Portugal, and then racing to Dakar, Senegal, over 16 days, they face miles and miles of tough terrain and conditions so hazardous that the Dakar Rally has been named the most dangerous race in the world.
Charley again works with BMW on this adventure and teams up with Australian-born Simon Pavey, who has competed in the Dakar five times and finished third.
The show follows Charley and the team as they combat the difficulties the route throws at them.
History of the raceThe Dakar Rally originated in 1978, a year after racer Thierry Sabine got lost in the desert and decided it would be a good location for a regular rally. Originally, the rally was from Paris, France to Dakar, Senegal, interrupted by a transfer across the Mediterranean. However, due to politics and other factors, the course - including its origin and destination - has been varied over the years. The 2006 Dakar Rally started in Lisbon, Portugal. The series features the 28th Annual Dakar Rally that took place in Lisbon.
SPECIALS
Ultimate Olympics: Final CountdownOn: Saturday, 23 August 2008 at 13h45
This two-hour special builds on and ends the Ultimate Olympics series, picking up on some characters to update their stories as the Games come to an end.
Included in the focus of the show: the specially chosen volunteers who carry the Olympic medals to the podium, the designers and engineers who built Beijing's newest icons, namely the new China's National Stadium and the National Aquatics Centre, the Watercube.
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Mythbusters Shark Week SpecialOn: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 at 22h00
Using Steven Spielberg's classic Jaws for inspiration, Mythbusters puts the bite on some of the movie's myths about sharks. In this two-hour special, Adam and Jamie journey to some of the world’s shark hotspots, including the Bahamas and the Farallon Islands.
Spielberg’s shark displayed almost supernatural strength and stamina. It wrecked a shark cage and rammed a hole in the Orca’s hull. It also managed to pull the boat backwards and keep three flotation barrels submerged for hours.
Could a real great white perform those feats?
The Mythbusters recreate each of these scenarios, and others, to find out.
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