MUMBAI: Non-fiction broadcaster Discovery Networks International (DNI) has announced the return of five original series, serving as the bedrock of DNI?s Production and Development unit which launched in 2011.

The shows are ?Last Chance Salon?, ?One Car Too Far?, ?Ultimate Shopper?, ?World?s Top 5? and ?You Have Been Warned? have been re-upped in 2013, to air within DNI?s factual and lifestyle portfolio of 26 channels available to viewers in 217 countries and territories across the globe.

DNI executive VP, chief content officer Luis Silberwasser said, "We re-commissioned five terrific series and it?s proof-positive that we?re continuing to grow Discovery?s reputation as a creative powerhouse of international original programming. With a diverse array of entertainment and fresh talent, our development slate has struck a chord with a global audience."

DNI creative director, head of production, development Julian Bellamy said, "With solid production partners and a strong in-house creative team, DNI has succeeded in creating programming with global appeal. From a twist on survival genre in ?One Car Too Far? to the spoils of shopping in ?Ultimate Shopper?, we?re pleased to enable viewers to follow their favorite shows into the next season and watch as new storylines unfold."

?Last Chance Salon opens its doors once again to offer salvation to desperate victims of botched beauty treatments. A world-renowned plastic surgeon, award winning hairdresser and celebrity dermatologist return to find and fix cosmetic catastrophes, offering a last chance of happiness to those who wanted to look great but ended up damaged-both inside and out.

?One Car Too Far? follows the exploits of American gearhead Bill and former British special forces operative Gary on their next adrenaline-infused adventure, with help from their trusty 4x4, Ruby. This time, the duo is in Mexico and must work their way from civilization across treacherous terrain, relying on instinct, expertise, and each other to arrive at their destination in the wilderness.

?Ultimate Shopper? meanwhile aims to take shopping showdowns to a whole new level, wannabe fashionistas go head-to-head in three style-based challenges and face a panel of sartorial experts. It?s shopper vs. shopper as contestants hunt for the perfect look to win the ultimate prize: a dream wardrobe. In this fashion fantasy, only the most stylish will survive.

In ?World?s Top 5? engineers and scientists analyse and rate the world?s greatest engineering marvels, ultimately revealing the best of each category. Filmed around the globe and featuring high flyers to subterraneous earthshakers, the program covers awe-inspiring innovations, facts and graphics reveal the engineering brilliance behind each mechanical marvel with a panel of experts.

?You Have Been Warned? explores the web?s best science experiments, stunts and inventions, both amateur and professional. In each episode, a team of international experts reveal how these remarkable feats are achieved through science, aided by a roller-coaster ride of the world?s most exciting video clips and counting down to their top favorites.

MUMBAI: Continuing its commitment to present India and its multiple manifestations, infotainment broadcaster Discovery has partnered with the Indian Army to present a complete account of one of the most challenging and successful Everest Expeditions undertaken by seven Indian Army Women Officers.

?Everest: Indian Army Women?s Expedition? kicks off on the eve of India?s Republic Day, 25 January with a repeat on 26 January at 9 pm.

Covering the entire expedition from all dimensions, right from the team?s selection, training and preparation to the ultimate raising of the national flag atop the Everest, the programme chronicles the Indian Army women officers? daunting journey and all the challenges the team faced in achieving the greatest mountaineering goal. The programme will give viewers a personal insight of an Everest expedition and experience of courage, disappointment and glory. The viewers will also get to appreciate the long tradition of mountaineering within the Indian Army and its distinguished spirit of adventure and challenge.

A Discovery cameraman while covering the entire journey through all challenges like avalanche, turbulent weather and crevasses, summited the peak along with the seven women officers making the expedition even more distinguished.

Discovery South Asia senior VP, GM Rahul Johri said, ?Climbing Everest is an ultimate test of human spirit and determination. It is one of the most distinguished achievements for Discovery Channel to reach the summit and capture this exhilarating expedition by the Indian Army Women Officers. The channel will continue to inspire and entertain Indian audiences through such distinct programmes and high-quality productions.?

The show will offer a wide angle view into the environment of the world?s highest peak. It will bring out the complete narrative of adventure and courage as these Indian Army Women Officers climb Everest for the first time. The contingent scaled the summit from the South ridge route which was used by the highly distinguished Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Using high-altitude shooting technology, the captured footage includes an avalanche, the unfortunate death of a Sherpa in a crevasse and rock falls on the near-vertical Lhotse face. Besides the Discovery Channel cameraman, Gary Jarman Lamare, following the contingent, cameras were also strapped to the helmets of some of the climbers to film the programme.

It took one full year of training and two phase selections, one at Siachen Base Camp and the other at Manali, to find and prepare the final team of seven women and ten male climbers along with the support staff. The team was led by Col. Ajay Kothiyal (KC, SC, VSM) and consisted of seven Indian Army women officers: Capt. Deepika Rathore (Rajasthan), Capt. Namrata Rathore (Uttarakhand), Capt. Prachi R. Gole (Maharastra), Maj. N. Linyu (Nagaland), Maj. Neha Bhatnagar (Rajasthan), Capt. Poonam Sangwan (Haryana), and Capt. Smitha (Karnataka).

The officers had diverse professional and personal backgrounds ? Engineer, Communication Specialist and Medical. Given their diverse skill sets, each officer was entrusted with different responsibilities. The show will delve into how each of these officers played a unique role which was crucial to the wellbeing of others within the team and to the success of the expedition.

MUMBAI: Close on the heels of making two major acquisitions, Discovery Communications has acquired 100 per cent of Switchover Media, an Italian media company that owns and operates four free-to-air television channels and one pay-TV television channel in Italy.

Combined with Discovery?s existing networks in the country, the acquisition of Switchover Media makes Discovery the third largest broadcaster in Italy in terms of collective audience share.

Discovery Communications has been on a shopping spree in Europe. The broadcaster had last year spent a little over $2.1 billion to acquire German media company ProSiebenSat.1 Group?s SBS Nordic operations and a minority stake in French media company TF1/Eurosport.

The acquisition not only made Discovery the biggest pay-TV operator outside US but also marked non-fiction major?s entry into scripted formats and sports.

?Italy is a leading market for Discovery and key to our growth here over the last two years has been the development of a successful free-to-air TV business strategy as this platform has grown," said Discovery Networks Western Europe President and MD Dee Forbes.

"The acquisition of Switchover Media adds further breadth and scale to that free-to-air strategy, as well as diversifying our portfolio to include scripted crime and children?s programming that have proven popular with audiences and advertisers."

Switchover Media Founder and Managing Partner Francesco Nespega said, ?I am confident that an international leader in the media segment, such as Discovery, with its contents and resources, will be able to further expand the potential of the channels we created and implemented.?

With the acquisition of Switchover, Discovery now has six free-to-air brands and six pay-TV brands in Italy. The combined business will beoverseen by Marinella Soldi, Managing Director Discovery Italy and General Manager Southern Europe, who is based in Milan. Francesco Nespega will cooperate with Discovery for the whole transition phase.

?Discovery and Switchover have both had such tremendous success in introducing new free-to-air channel offerings and growing audiences in Italy in a short period of time, that together we will be third in terms of audience share,? said Soldi.

Discovery?s free-to-air channels in Italy include Real Time, a female-targeted entertainment channel launched in 2010, and DMAX, which launched at the end of 2011. Discovery?s pay-TV brands in Italy include the global flagship Discovery Channel, as well as Animal Planet, Discovery Travel & Living, Discovery Science and Discovery World.

Switchover Media, established in 2009 by Nespega, operates two free-to-air channels targeted at adults, including Giallo, a scripted investigation and forensics entertainment channel targeted at women, and, Focus, a male-targeted factual entertainment channel. It also operates two free-to-air children?s channels, K2 and Frisbee, as well as GXT, a male-targeted pay-TV channel.

MUMBAI: US talk show queen Oprah Winfrey will speak exclusively with disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong in his first no-holds-barred interview, ?Oprah Winfrey and Lance Armstrong: A Worldwide Exclusive?.

Armstrong will address the alleged doping scandal, years of accusations of cheating and charges of lying about the use of performance-enhancing drugs throughout his storied cycling career.

The special 90-minute interview will air on 18 January at 1 pm and 9 pm on Discovery Channel and will repeat on 20 January at 9 pm.

In the interview, Winfrey speaks with Armstrong at his home in Austin, Texas in the only interview since the seven-time Tour de France winner was stripped of his titles and dropped from millions of dollars in endorsement deals after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released an extensive report accusing the renowned cyclist of doping throughout his career. Armstrong was given a lifetime ban on competing professionally. Late last year, Armstrong resigned as chairman of the foundation he created, Livestrong, which has raised hundreds of millions of dollars in the fight against cancer.