Dara O’Briain returns to C5 with pyramids doc

Comedian and presenter to explore questions around ancient archaeological structures.

Channel 5 has tied with presenter and comedian Dara O’Briain once more for a two-part documentary series considering the questions surrounding Egypt’s ancient pyramids.

Produced by Wildflame productions, the doc sees O’Briain joined by archaeologist Raksha Dave and Egyptologist Dr Chris Naunton to explore some of the most compelling questions that still perplex scientists today, as well as more far-fetched theories such as if they were built for or even by aliens.

O’Briain said that it was ”a joy to explore these great monuments to human ingenuity and effort; to sort out the amazing facts from the many, frankly, ridiculous fictions that surround them; but mainly to live out all my Indiana Jones fantasies”.

The comedian had previously fronted a Channel 5 documentary examining the moon, which was produced by BBC Studios’ Science Unit. The documentary launched with just under 1m on Channel 5 in August last year with 960,000 (8.4%).

Currently under the working title The Mysteries of the Pyramids, the 2×60-minute documentary was commissioned by Channel 5’s commissioning editor for non scripted UK originals Denise Seneviratne. Ben Fox serves as executive producer for Wildflame Productions, with Ewen Thomson as series producer and director. Josh Key is producer.

Wildflame’s chief executive Paul Islwyn Thomas added that the O’Briain brings “such a fresh take on the amazing story of the pyramids to Channel 5.”

Silverlining Rights is the exclusive worldwide distribution partner of the documentary.