Following his successful debut series for Channel 5, James May’s Great Explorers, the broadcaster has commissioned factual entertainment series James May: The Human Machine w/t (4×60”) from Plum Pictures.
This new outing will see James May delving deep into the mechanics of the human body.
Known for tinkering with the inner workings of cars and bikes, May will now turn his attention to our “marvellous meat-sacks” – visiting cutting-edge labs, grisly medical museums, and even scrub up for some hands-on procedures. Along the way, he’ll break down how the body works, how it can go wrong, and the ingenious ways we’ve learned to repair and improve it – while also exploring what engineering can learn from biology.
The series was ordered by Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning at 5. Will Daws, Managing Director, Plum Pictures will serve as Executive Producer with Catrina Lear on board as Series Producer.
James May said: “It’s the most remarkable machine we have, and it’s us. The human body; billions of components working together to keep us upright, thinking, and moving around without falling over. But it also goes wrong – leaking, aching, and disintegrating. As someone interested in how things work, I’ll be taking it apart to see how it ticks. It’s a miracle any of us makes it beyond breakfast.”
Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning added: “James has a unique knack for making complex subjects both entertaining and enlightening – and the human body will be no exception. Though our discussions about farting’s place in the series have yet to be resolved.”
Photo Credit: Ellis O’Brien
Pippa Considine
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