SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL(TM) GREENLIGHTS REMARKABLE ADVENTURE LIVING HISTORY SERIES "ULTIMATE VIKING" (w/t)

HOSTED BY KRISTOFER HIVJU AND GRY MOLVAER HIVJU

NEW YORK, NY - November 17, 2020 - Smithsonian Channel has greenlit ULTIMATE VIKING (w/t), an epic new series with an innovative format combining adventure with immersive living history to reveal secrets of Viking society as never before seen. Hosted by Kristofer Hivju, who played Tormund Giantsbane in the HBO series Game of Thrones and award-winning factual presenter Gry Molvær Hivju, the 8 x 60 new series will also include a one-hour accompanying documentary slated to air in 2021 on Smithsonian Channel. Filming has commenced and production will take place in the UK and Norway, with a custom Viking settlement being constructed on the spectacular Norwegian coast. This ingenious adventure series will feature a diverse cast of modern-day, highly skilled men and women who will be pushed to the extreme as they find out if they have what it takes to live as true Vikings.

Each episode is rooted in authentic Viking knowledge exploring every aspect of Viking life to truly discover what it was like to live as a Viking over 1000 years ago. Cameras will follow ordinary people taking part in extraordinary expeditions under harsh Nordic conditions. The clans will compete against each other in a series of authentic and often extreme Viking survival expeditions, challenges, and tasks based on historical facts, saga literature and archaeological evidence.

Life in Viking society is not for the faint-hearted as our cast live side by side in a real Viking settlement, with every detail authentic to the era, from the buildings to the clothes, tools, and food. Participants will need to master axes and swords, learn to forage and fish in Norway's snow-capped mountains and master the art of sailing a Viking ship, mentored by the world's leading Viking historians. Even in times of peace, the Vikings' strong, cultured and sophisticated communities were fiercely competitive.

"We are very excited to host this living history adventure series set in our beautiful country Norway," says Gry Molvær Hivju and Kristofer Hivju, Co-Founders of Tindefilm. "We are proud to show the fjords, ocean and wild mountains that our ancestors saw. For us, this series is all about a genuine extreme experience based on Viking society, set deep in the heart of the land of the Vikings. It's going to be exciting, ambitious and based on historical evidence."

"We are always looking for innovative ways to re-invent the entertainment experience for our curious global audience," says David Royle, EVP and Chief Programming Officer, Smithsonian Channel. "Vikings have long captured the public imagination, and this brand-new format pushes boundaries to create a new way for our audience to be enthralled, sometimes appalled and often surprised by the challenges of Viking life. It's a modern-day interpretation, told through the lens of history."

"ULTIMATE VIKING (w/t) aims to re-imagine living history for television audiences across the world," says Llinos Griffin-Williams, Executive Producer, Wildflame Productions. "Viking life was extraordinarily tough and the show is no exception. Our new adventure history format pushes living history to another level. It is an extremely ambitious series and one we are thrilled to be making for Smithsonian Channel. Wildflame has a passion for both history and stories which inform and excite the world, so we are thrilled to be bringing this idea alive in conjunction with our partners."

"ULTIMATE VIKING (w/t) is designed to give the viewer the most compelling picture of one of the most iconic periods of history," says Danny Fenton, CEO, Zig Zag Productions. "It's unique combination of history, adventure and endurance brings Viking history to life in a way that has never been done before. We are thrilled to be part of the co-pro team."

ULTIMATE VIKING (w/t) is produced by Wildflame Productions Ltd., Zig Zag Productions Ltd. and Tindefilm for Smithsonian Channel. David Royle and Charles Poe serve as Executive Producers for Smithsonian Channel. Llinos Griffin-Williams and Paul Islwyn Thomas are Executive Producers for Wildflame Productions; Hilde Nerland for Tindefilm; Danny Fenton and Matt Graff for Zig Zag Productions. The series is Directed by Showrunner Stephen Shearman, with original music composed by Silvia Strand and Jonathan Gregory.

About Smithsonian Channel

Smithsonian Channel(TM), a ViacomCBS Inc. network, is where curiosity lives, inspiration strikes and wonders never cease. This is the place for awe-inspiring stories, powerful documentaries and amazing factual entertainment, available in HD and 4K Ultra HD across multiple platforms. Smithsonian Channel, winner of Emmy(R) and Peabody awards for its programming, is the home of popular genres such as air and space, travel, history, science, nature and pop culture. Among the network's offerings are hit series including Aerial America, America in Color, America's Hidden Stories, Apollo's Moon Shot, The Pacific War in Color and Air Disasters, as well as critically-acclaimed specials that include The Green Book: Guide to Freedom, Black in Space: Breaking the Color Barrier, Walk Against Fear: James Meredith and Princess Diana's Wicked Stepmother. Smithsonian Channel is available internationally in Canada, Singapore, Latin America, the UK and Ireland.

About Wildflame Productions

Wildflame Productions creates extraordinary content for audiences throughout the world from its base in Cardiff. This UK nations and regions factual powerhouse works closely with the best creative talent and a wide range of production partners to produce content for the UK and the international markets. CEO Paul Islwyn Thomas has built a strong reputation for producing factual and specialist factual programming for a wide range of broadcasters, including the full range of national BBC channels, Channel 5, S4C, Discovery and many more. Wildflame prides itself on its excellence in storytelling, bringing great ideas and ambitious concepts and formats to audiences globally. In June 2020, the company returned to being wholly independent, after exiting the Flame Media Group.

About Tindefilm

Located on Norway's wild and beautiful west coast, led by CEO Hilde Nerlund and DOP Tor Siverstøl. Tindefilm creates high quality, filmic content for the global market. Their first production, Lysleite, a creative documentary about the dwindling light in the polar regions won a Gullruten (Norwegian TV awards) and their second documentary, Bit - Ballerina Bulldog was nominated for best documentary at BIFF as well as Gullruten for best original score.

About Zig Zag Productions

Zig Zag Productions is one of the UK's foremost independent television production companies. With offices in London, New York and Northern Ireland, Zig Zag has produced over 700 hours of non scripted programming and has grown to become an internationally recognised, respected and award-winning television producer both in the UK, USA and internationally. Zig Zag has produced programming for broadcasters including BBC, Channel 4, ITV, Five, TLC, MTV, Fox, National Geographic, Discovery, OWN, Logo and Syfy. The company has also won numerous awards including the Rose D'or for Best Format.