Ken Hames
Following an impressive military career, Ken Hames has brought a unique slant on the many documentaries that he has created and presented for TV. Ken’s third series of 'Beyond Boundaries' set in the Andes range in Ecuador will broadcast on BBC TV this Spring and he has just finished filming his latest BBC1 project a documentary on the homeless and is now filming 'Beyond Boundaries - Where Are They Now'.
'Mission Africa' was a 15 part series for primetime BBC1 where Ken took a group of young apprentice builders from the UK to Kenya to build the first eco lodge and game reserve to protect the endangered species that live there working closely with the Born Free Foundation. This was then handed over to the local Samburu tribe as a sustainable business that also protects the wildlife. Ken first got the idea for ’Mission Africa’ a few years ago when he was on a major expedition in Kenya’s Northern Frontier District and the local Samburu tribe came to his rescue offering food, water and shelter until the flood waters had subsided and Ken vowed to come back and help them one day.
The third series of 'Beyond Boundaries' is in Ecuador where he took a group of severely disabled people on an expedition across the Andes at high altitude for BBC 2.
Ken created and is the expedition leader on the ground breaking 'Beyond
Boundaries' series for BBC TV. In the first series
Ken led an expedition of 12 disabled people (one of whom was
blind), across Nicaragua, from the Atlantic to
the Pacific Ocean in a record breaking, 300 km trek starting in the
Mosquito Coast and ending one month later as a world first. The series
showed the team going through jungles in over 40 degrees of heat, dealing
with a dangerous route overrun with drug, running bandits and even climbing
the most difficult live volcano in Central America. The second series
saw a new group crossing Africa starting at Victoria Falls and ending
on the Skeleton Coast.
'Desert Darlings' was broadcast on Channel 4 in spring 2003. Ken took couples across the Namib Desert, placing their sometimes fragile relationships under the extreme pressures of an expedition. His first series for Channel 4, was the award winning, 'Jungle Janes', where Ken's challenge was to turn a group of British women, none of whom had any expedition experience, into a cohesive team fit enough to take on the gruelling jungles of Borneo. It was enjoyed by millions who found this journey an inspiration. The first documentary was a television series, called 'The Trek' broadcast by Meridian. In 1994, with the help of Diana, Princess of Wales, Ken was able to take twelve disadvantaged youngsters to the heart of Africa on a 500-mile trek over desert and mountainous terrain, The process transformed their lives and Ken still monitors their progress, twelve years on.
These documentaries have proved Ken's extraordinary ability to inspire and motivate even the most unlikely candidates. His unique skills enable him to take any rabble of individuals and finish with a winning, cohesive team, using sound leadership and thorough training are just some of the tools he uses. Ken is passionate about empowering people to transform their lives for the better.
Ken presented the highly praised series, 'Greatest SAS Missions' for Five in 2004, CBBC's 'Bring it On', 'Hero Factor' for the Discovery Channel in 2002, 'Battle Stripes' for Sky in 2000, 'Future Fighting Machines' for the US in 2003, Channel 4's 'Shattered' and ITV's 'Celebrity Fit Club'. Ken was also involved from the earliest of stages in the design and development of ITV's 'I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here'.
Ken is a real life action man who leads from the front. He has 25 years military experience under his belt, and is almost unique in having served in The Parachute Brigade, the Royal Marines and the Special Air Service. Ken's operational experience is vast, ranging from guarding Nazi war criminal Rudolph Hesse, in Spandau Prison to the liberation of Port Stanley in the Falklands.
He is an accomplished Mountain Guide and skier and represented Great Britain in cross-country skiing. He played rugby for the Combined Services, is an expert in the great outdoors in all survival disciplines and is a keen amateur opera singer.