Filming starts on sixth season of Wild at Heart

 

ITV has revealed that filming has started on the sixth season of its popular Sunday evening drama series Wild at Heart starring Stephen Tompkinson and Dawn Steele. Joining the cast of the South African based drama for the new series will be Warren Clarke known for his roles in Down to Earth and Dalziel and Pascoe.

 

Warren Clarke joins the cast shooting in South Africa The cameras start to roll this week on the sixth series of the hugely popular WILD AT HEART, filmed against the dramatic backdrop of South Africa. With ten new episodes for ITV1, the much loved characters and exciting wildlife face many adventures at Leopard’s Den.

In a series where the animals and stunning landscape share the screen with the colourful cast headed by Stephen Tompkinson, it is a family drama that delivers on all levels. Tompkinson plays Danny Travanion, a British vet who emigrated with his family to set up a veterinary hospital and game reserve in the South African bush. A surprise location to start the series sees Danny back in London, on honeymoon with his new wife fellow vet Alice (Dawn Steele – Monarch of the Glen, Sea Of Souls). Danny certainly misses the call of the wild, but Alice realises just how much she and her young daughter Charlotte have missed Britain, which is a problem that can only grow as the series unfolds.

After their honeymoon is cut short, Robert, Danny’s estranged father (Warren Clarke), travels back with them to Leopard’s Den and meets the extended family who reside there including: gruff business partner Du Plessis (Deon Stewardson) and his very dear wife Caroline (Hayley Mills), her rebellious teenage grand-daughter Olivia (Olivia Scott-Taylor) and her secret boyfriend Thabo (Atandwa Kani) – and the family’s tame cheetah Jana.

“I first worked with Warren on The Manageress in 1988; he was the club Chairman and I was a footballer – and now I very much look forward to showing him Africa!” – Stephen Tompkinson

Danny’s aim to improve animal welfare in Africa inspires the government to appoint him as State Vet, which sees him taking on the overall responsibility for all the animals in the district, and immediately brings him into conflicts with humans. Life hardly ever runs smoothly for humans or wildlife and this series sees: animal poaching, a lion breeding programme, orphaned baby rhinos, smuggled wildlife, and the local township being moved on by a mining company – which in turn could jeopardise Leopard’s Den….

Filming for six months the cast and production team once again settle down to life on location at Glen Afric on the borders of Gauteng Province and North West Province, alongside their co-stars: the unpredictable wildlife and glorious scenery. WILD AT HEART is created by Ashley Pharoah and made by Company Pictures. Produced in South Africa by Nick Goding, and series produced in the UK by Charlie Hampton. Executive producers are Charles Pattinson, George Faber, John Griffin and Ashley Pharoah; with co-executive producer Stephen Tompkinson. Series writers include: Ashley Pharoah, Jack Williams and Chris Murray. Directors are: Paul Harrison, Ian Barnes, Barry Berk and Maurice Phillips.