Ben Fogle Is Presenting A New Documentary On The Chernobyl Disaster, Ben Fogle: Inside Chernobyl

Channel 5 has announced a brand new Chernobyl documentary is on the way, with Ben Fogle at the helm.

Ben Fogle: Inside Chernobyl will follow the presenter and adventurer as he spends a week living inside the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, 35 years on from the shocking nuclear accident.

The doc comes two years after the mega popular TV drama, Chernobyl, which aired on HBO and Sky Atlantic in 2019.

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For the feature length special, cameras have been granted access into the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant as well as the deserted towns and forest that surround the disaster zone.

In one eerie scene, Ben will venture inside Control Room 4, where the events unfolded, and has been granted special access to witness the original Chernobyl sarcophagus. Ben must only spend just five minutes inside the control room, due to radiation safety restrictions.

Later in the documentary, Ben also explores the ruins of Hospital 126, as well as meeting a police officer who witnessed the explosion. He also joins other local police, who are looking for "stalkers" - a group of thrill seekers who attempt to enter the zone illegally.

HBO/Sky Atlantic)

The disaster took place on 26th April 1986, when the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant suffered a huge explosion, which released radioactive material across Belarus, Russia and Ukraine - and even as far as western Europe.

Following the disaster, hundreds of thousands of people were evacuated from their homes and during the new film, Ben meets the 'Self Settlers', who returned home following the evacuation.

"With the news of Ukraine seeking to designate Chernobyl as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, I'm proud to share this incredible journey with viewers as we delve into the past of Chernobyl, uncover its secrets and bring awareness to its historic significance, while making an amazing discovery of wildlife returning, from horses to wolves and bears," said Ben.

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Meanwhile, commissioning editor Guy Davies added: "Ben's extraordinary journey feels like the ultimate life in the wild, and as he discovers the people who still inhabit the exclusion zone, and enters the original control room 4, this special film reveals hidden discoveries in an environment few have explored in such detail."

The documentary is expected to air this spring. It certainly sounds like a gripping watch...

Topics: TV News, Chernobyl, Channel 5

Lucy Devine

Lucy is a journalist working for Tyla. After graduating with a master's degree in journalism, she has worked in both print and online and is particularly interested in fashion, food, health and women's issues. Northerner, coffee addict, says hun a lot. Get in touch at [email protected].

@lucedevine