Discovery orders gold diving three-parter

Discovery Asia-Pacific has commissioned a three-part factual series about crews of divers looking for abalone gold in shark-infested waters.

Abalone Wars will be produced by Fox-backed Kiwi production group NHNZ. The series follows six gold diving crews as they set out into the Southern Ocean off South Australia, wherethere are more sharks per square kilometre than anywhere else on earth.

The show was ordered as part of the Discovery Ignite funding initiative, under which the channel operator collaborates with filmmakers in Australia and New Zealand and coproduces local programming.

“We were once again overwhelmed with submissions for our Discovery Ignite local production initiative and are thrilled to have uncovered yet another extraordinary story in Abalone Wars,” said Mandy Pattinson, Discovery Networks senior VP and General Manager, Australia & New Zealand. “These fearless men and women have allowed us a never before seen insight into the world of abalone diving, where going to work each day requires putting your life on the line”