Ross Kemp Documentaries

Introduction

Ross James Kemp (born 21 July 1964) is an English actor, author, and television war reporter. He rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera EastEnders. Since 2004, Kemp has received international recognition as a journalist for the BAFTA Award-winning documentary series Ross Kemp on Gangs.

Outline (Afghanistan Documentaries)

Ross Kemp in Afghanistan is a Sky One British documentary series fronted by actor Ross Kemp about the British soldiers fighting in the War in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) mission against the Taliban. The first two series involved Kemp and a small embedded film crew following troops fighting in Helmand Province, documenting their part in the ongoing Operation Herrick.

The first series, first broadcast in January 2008, followed the 2007 deployment of the 1st Battalion (1 R ANGLIAN, “The Vikings”) of the Royal Anglian Regiment. As a follow-up to the first series, Ross Kemp: Return to Afghanistan, first broadcast from 1 February 2009, followed the 2008 deployment of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (5 SCOTS), the 5th battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. Kemp and his crew participate in the Vikings’ (Royal Anglians) initial training in Britain for the deployment. They then visit the unit during their six-month tour, filming both life at rest and on fighting patrols in Helmand. The series finally covers their return to the UK. In the second series, Kemp returns to Afghanistan to assess how the conflict has changed since his first visit in 2007.

A special two-part third series, entitled Middle East, follows Kemp as he visits soldiers working in Gaza and Israel. In the fourth series, Back on the Frontline, Kemp returns to the frontline with the Royal Marines as he re-visits Afghanistan two years after he last departed, to see how the country has progressed since his last visit. A final special, broadcast in 2012, entitled The Invisible Wounded, follows soldiers as they return home from Afghanistan, some of whom are forced to deal with the aftermath of PTSD.

Unlike a “traditional” war documentary, the first series was firmly positioned by Kemp as being the “soldiers’ story”, focusing on the experiences of the soldiers at home and abroad, and also features the views of their families. With a personal connection with the Vikings, Kemp is an ardent supporter of the men and the mission, and his film makes many criticisms of the situation the soldiers find themselves in.

Outline (Extreme World Documentaries)

Ross Kemp: Extreme World is a British documentary series that has been broadcast on Sky 1 since 21 February 2011. Hosted by actor Ross Kemp, the series follows Kemp and a film crew around the world as they explore various forms of hardship, including homelessness, illicit trade, drug addiction, violence and poverty. Often, he speaks to the authorities who are attempting to combat the problems, and tries to establish contact with ringleaders to get to the source of the issue. A total of six series have been aired.

Trivia

During the filming of the first series, in one engagement the crew were pinned down by fire from the Taliban, with Kemp “nearly dying” with bullets passing “within inches”.
In filming the second series, Kemp runs into a possible minefield.
The show was praised for the closeness and realism of the battle footage, and is believed to be the first documentary of its kind filmed in high definition.