Discovery orders Filipino Typhoon Haiyan doc

Discovery Networks International has ordered Megastorm: World’s Biggest Typhoon, a one-off documentary about weather phenomenon, which wrought havoc in the Philippines earlier this month.

Discovery commissioned the doc from UK news and current affairs specialist ITN Productions. It will have never before seen footage from ITN’s crews on the ground insight from scientists in the field and testimony from storm chasers.

It will go out on Discovery channels from early next month in international territories. In the US it will debut next year on Discovery’s Science Channel.

Elizabeth McIntyre, VP, production and development, factual for DNI, said: “Delivering the facts as told by eye witness storm chasers and eminent scientific experts – interlaced with powerful human stories which bring the scale of the impact to life – this documentary special bears all the hallmarks of classic Discovery programming, which is in step with the mindset of our curious audience.”

DNI has also commissioned Manhunt, which it is billing as an “all-new original series featuring former Navy SEAL Joel Lambert in an extreme version of hide-and-go-seek”. The show will see Lambert attempting to evade capture by some of the world’s top military tracking units for 48 hours.

Discovery Studios is producing the series, which will launch on Discovery Channel in 224 territories from February 2014. Shoot locations are the US, Poland, South Africa, Philippines, Panama and South Korea.

Sarah Davies, DNI’s VP, production and development for factual production, said: “The premise of Joel against expert elite trackers is compelling enough, but adding in menacing landscape and deadly wildlife elevates the series to another level – and one that will appeal to the adrenaline junkie inside all our global audience.”

Davies executive produces for DNI, while Eddie Barbini and Brian Knappmiller do the same for Discovery Studios.