Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape is a new Channel 4 series that sees the TV presenter and pig farmer travelling from the frozen south to the tropical north of New Zealand to explore the country’s wild beauty.
"New Zealand is full of extraordinary landscapes," says Jimmy. ‘When I think of New Zealand I think of white wine and lots of sheep but it’s a land of extremes, fire and ice, verdant pastures and beautiful waterways."
So here's eveything you need to know about Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape on Channel 4...
Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape release date
Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape is a four part series that starts on Channel 4 on Monday 18 September at 8pm with episodes running at the same time each week. The full series will be available as a box set on the Channel 4 streaming service. We'll update here with any international air dates.
What happens in Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape
Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape sees him chat to people who work on the land and seas, from the chilly southern reaches of the country to the more tropical northernmost tip. He will be including a trip to the top of New Zealand's tallest mountain, Mount Cook.
"I wanted to explore the unique ways of farming, fishing and fermenting," says Jimmy who begins the four-part series in the southernmost tip of New Zealand’s Stewart Island where he meets fisherman Nate Smith to catch Blue Cod.
Later, he goes to the mainland where he meets farmer Laura Koot who’s set up the Fairlight Foundation, an organisation teaching farming skills to young women. He also meets husband and wife team John and Susie Elliot, who run a 10,000 acre farm and own Lammermoor Distillery in Central Otago which uses grain they harvest to make whisky and gin, before flying to the top of New Zealand’s tallest mountain, Mount Cook, to explore the glaciers.
"The people here blow me away," says Jimmy. "What you see is the incredible innovation that comes from living in very isolated areas. It’s inspirational!"
Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape episode guide
Here's our brief episode guide for Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape, which we'll be updating as the series progresses.
Episode 1: Monday September 18
Heading from the Southernmost island of New Zealand, the tiny Stewart Island, Jimmy learns to gravity-fish for plate size fish for the local restaurant trade. He then travels via beach motorcycle to a female-run farm that specialises in sheep and deer, before making his way inland to New Zealand’s oldest illegal distillery, where they are still making superb whiskey.
Episode 2: Monday September 25
Jimmy learns why Clydesdale horses still rule supreme as farm workers over tractors and trucks, before heading to Lake Ellesmere, a traditional food source for Maori people, providing them with an abundance of eels. Jimmy visits Christchurch and the world’s first food truck, Nin’s Bin, where he enjoys the roadside attraction’s locally caught crayfish, and he joins a third–generation crayfisherman to check crayfish pots set just off the coast.
Episodes 3 and 4
We'll update here so do check back
Is there a trailer for Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape?
Sadly there's no trailer for Jimmy Doherty’s New Zealand Escape so you'll just have to tune in to all four episodes to see what a stunning series this is.
