Top Gear's Richard Hammond goes wild with Sky jungle documentary

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/jul/22/top-gear-richard-hammond-sky-jungle-quest

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Richard Hammond’s first post-Top Gear series is to be a wildlife documentary for Sky.

Sky announced on Monday that Richard Hammond’s Jungle Quest will feature the presenter travelling to the Amazon to photograph animals including three-toed sloth, pink river dolphins and harpy eagles.

The two hour-long episodes, which will air in September, were produced in association with Sky Rainforest Rescue, Sky’s partnership with WWF.

Hammond said: “Trekking through the Amazon rainforest with a camera to photograph wildlife was a childhood dream.

“The reality was, I discovered, far, far tougher than I had imagined, but the moments when I saw and caught images of the elusive creatures and fleeting encounters that make the place so special, so unique and yet so fragile were breathtaking and some of the best in my life.

“I hope viewers will feel they have been there too, in this film; getting a sense of the magic, splendour and wonder of the place as animals and humans live side by side amidst the threats they face.”

Among the other species Hammond photographs are white-fronted capuchins, Brazilian wandering spiders, tapyba ants and scorpions. Also captured on film are macaws, caimans, saki monkeys, camel spiders and turkey vultures.

Hammond tweeted earlier this week from Australia, where he is on a live tour with Jeremy Clarkson and James May.

He and Clarkson posted photos of themselves outside the Margaret River Fudge Factory with the caption: “Finally, work. We start today as packers.”

Finally, work. We start today as packers pic.twitter.com/lT0uXhfJLn

We have got jobs at last. Here. As packers. pic.twitter.com/93dkPuVRbu

Hammond and Clarkson were accused of homophobia over the tweets, attracting criticism from Twitter users.

@RichardHammond So, you think it's funny to refer to a homophobic slur? WOW! What's wrong with you?

@JeremyClarkson STOP with you homophobic remarks! It's not funny, its not big and its not clever!! Disgraceful behaviour!

A spokesman for gay rights charity Stonewall told Mail Online: “We can’t quite see Clarkson in the confectionery industry, maybe it’s the sour taste that his racist and homophobic slurs leave. All we can see him packing up at the moment is his career.”

There has been speculation that Clarkson, Hammond and May are planning to sign a deal in the US for a rival to Top Gear.

Clarkson told an audience in Perth: “Amazingly, there had been a lot of interest in us doing a car show for television.

“Who knows, very soon once more you will be seeing us on a television or an internet near where you live.”

He then mocked Hammond for pronouncing the letter “z” with a US accent, adding: “You’re not in America.”

Hammond replied: “Not yet.”