Cher & the Loneliest Elephant Set for Paramount+, Smithsonian Channel

The world premiere of Cher & the Loneliest Elephant is set for April 22 on Paramount+ in the U.S. and Smithsonian Channel in the U.K., Latin America and Brazil.

The doc follows Cher as she races to Pakistan to help save the “world’s loneliest elephant,” Kaavan—a cause that grew out of a global social media campaign, backed by expert wildlife veterinarians, animal aid groups and sanctuary owners. To succeed, the group would have to overcome a series of daunting challenges to move a four-ton elephant more than 2,300 miles in the middle of a global pandemic.

The U.S. Smithsonian Channel linear premiere is scheduled for May 19.

Cher & the Loneliest Elephant is produced by Nutshell TV and Two Wise Monkeys Entertainment for Smithsonian Channel and Terra Mater Factual Studios.

“I saw all the people being affected by it all over the world,” said Cher, who first learned of Kaavan’s plight through online activists who sought her help. “People want a happy ending. People don’t want to see animals suffer. And I know people are suffering too, but this is a story that can brighten their lives.”

“I was frightened, but then I thought, what do you want to do more?” added Cher. “You made a promise, and you have to go. I didn’t see any other way to do it. I have a saying on my Twitter, ‘Stand and be counted or sit and be nothing.’ And I wasn’t going to sit and be nothing.”

“It’s truly remarkable to witness what can happen when people come together to pursue a shared mission,” said James Blue, head of Smithsonian Channel and senior VP of MTV News and Docs. “In the face of a very urgent need to rescue Kaavan, it was imperative that Smithsonian Channel find the right team whose members shared a common passion for and dedication to conservation. The rescue group, bringing together people from widely diverse backgrounds and cultures and led by the incomparable Cher, proved that the impossible can happen during the toughest of times. Smithsonian Channel is honored to present this extraordinary story, which we hope will inspire our viewers and spark increased interest in other urgently needed conservation efforts around the world.”