Kevin McCloud to take Jon Richardson, Alice Levine and Phil Wang on a journey of technological enlightenment in new Channel 4 series
Category: News Release
14 January 2020
Like most of us, comedians Jon Richardson and Phil Wang and broadcaster Alice Levine have concerns about what lies in store for humankind. However, one man remains ever optimistic about technology and the future, and that man is Kevin McCloud.
The world is changing at break-neck speed, with innovations like 5G connecting us like never before. For many of us this is exhilarating but daunting.
Humanity is facing some pretty epic challenges, but Kevin believes if anything is going to save us from ourselves, it will be our extraordinary ability to innovate, to imagine the impossible and make it happen.
The new three-part series for Channel 4, in partnership with Vodafone will be produced by Boundless (part of Fremantle UK). Kevin will be sending his three sceptics off around the world to see if he can help them embrace robot butlers, lab grown meat and other weird and wonderful tech from China, Japan and America.
With Jon, Phil and Alice embarking on their journeys of discovery around the globe, ready to report back, Kevin McCloud’s Rough Guide to the Future (working title) will take a light-hearted look at some of the biggest issues facing humanity. Will cutting-edge innovations like driverless cars, avatar robots and remote surgery have Kevin’s intrepid travellers embracing the future or running for the hills?
Kevin McCloud said: “Our own genius is our downfall. Science and technology have aided and abetted humanity to make amazing progress for centuries, but they’ve also helped us screw up the planet. Now let’s see if they can get us out of this mess and help deliver a future for us. There are huge changes happening in our environment that urgently need addressing. We need to move to a more equitable, carbon-free world. We can’t do that without brilliant technology. So, fingers crossed eh?"
Jonah Weston, Commissioning Editor for Science and Adventure at Channel 4 added: “Everyone’s fascinated by the future, and in China, California and Japan they’re perfecting the technologies that we’ll all soon be living with. Kevin is one of Britain’s biggest tech evangelist, and I think audiences will be fascinated and by his vision of the future - whether that be Californian 5g robots or Chinese cockroach farming!”
Boundless executive producer, Ben Mitchell said: “Humanity is facing some pretty epic challenges, so it seems like the perfect time to find out what the World’s leading tech innovators have got in store for us. And who better to act as our eyes and ears on the ground than Kevin’s trio of doubters, Jon, Alice and Phil. They’re no push over, so it remains to be seen whether they will emerge from their travels with a greater sense of optimism about the future.”
Kevin McCloud’s Rough Guide to the Future (wt) was commissioned by Channel 4 Science and Adventure Commissioning Editor Jonah Weston. The 3x60 minute series will be made by Boundless (part of Fremantle UK) with executive producers Ben Mitchell and Jack Kennedy.
***ENDS***
Executive producers: Ben Mitchell and Jack Kennedy
Production Company: Boundless (part of Fremantle UK)
Commissioning Editor: Jonah Weston
For further information, please contact:
Samantha Fraser, Channel 4 Factual Publicity Manager