Doc Series Helicopter ER Set for Really in the U.K.

LONDON: UKTV has given the go-ahead for two exclusive seasons of Helicopter ER for its real-life channel Really.

Helicopter ER follows doctors and paramedics from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance who treat those in need in rugged landscapes, including injured hill farmers, hang-glider pilots and more. The commission builds on the Helicopter Heroes brand, and the series will be made by many team members who created Helicopter Heroes. The 30-epsiode commission is one of Really’s largest orders to date, and the show is set to air in a prime-time slot.

Air Television is currently producing the series, which will transmit at the end of 2016 and into 2017. It was commissioned by Hilary Rosen, the deputy director of commissioning for UKTV. The show is produced for UKTV by Tanya Qureshi. Ian Cundall serves as executive producer for Air Television, while the series producer is Andy Joynson and the co-series producer is Matt Richards.

Cundall said: “We are proud to have worked with the Yorkshire Air Ambulance crews for many years. Our specially trained shoot PDs are able to shadow the medical team on the most complex rescues and to the most exposed locations. The access is extraordinary, the stories heart-warming, and sometimes heart-breaking. We are delighted to be continuing to make the series for Really.”

Emma Ayech, the general manager for Really, added, “We are thrilled that Air Television is making this series for Really. Helicopter Heroes is a tremendously popular show with its unmissable combination of heart-warming human stories and real-life heroism in one of the U.K.’s most-loved landscapes. We are shifting it editorially to sit in the shoulder peak schedule, while retaining the characters and stories that people love.”

Rosen remarked, “As UKTV continues to invest in creating new and exclusive content, I’m thrilled to announce our first-ever original series for Really. The original Helicopter Heroes is a hugely popular show. We are building on the brand to bring a compelling combination of human stories and real-life heroism, set against the arresting Yorkshire Landscape.”