DivePro - Info

By Dave West
The BBC has commissioned a one-off documentary about a South African attempting to pursue his dream of swimming with great white sharks.

Off the Fence is making the hour-long show for broadcast next autumn. It is one of only seven commissions this year under the corporation's Natural World strand.

Feeding the Giants will follow Michael Rutzen's attempts to swim alongside the notorious sharks in the wild and without a cage.

Rutzen believes he can communicate with the "man killers" and become accepted. He wants to study their behaviour from close up.

Joe Kennedy, director of production at Off the Fence, commented: "The high production values and gripping stories inherent in the award-winning Natural World strand are world-renowned and we are honoured that Feeding the Giants will sit alongside such prestigious programming.

"Mike is an extraordinary individual who has dedicated his life to encourage understanding of sharks far beyond the traditional opinion of 'man eater'.

"We are confident that we will be able to bring his true passion to the screen, communicating his adventures in a way to create scintillating viewing for a worldwide audience."

Source - Digital Spy