Discovery has announced its lineup of programming to celebrate Earth Day on April 22, and it’s lead by an hourlong environmental special featuring Zac Efron and hosted by Vine and Tik Tok star Zach King, TheWrap has learned exclusively.
Titled “The Great Global Clean Up,” Efron and King will be joined by celebrities inc luding Lil Dicky, Liza Koshy, and Cody Simpson to talk about the efforts being made to clean up our planet. The special will travel to different locations around the world, including a beach cleanup in Efron’s hometown in California. Efron will also interview Denis Hayes, who founded Earth Day in 1970.
“The Great Global Cleanup” will air April 22 at 9 p.m. ET/PT immediately following a special one-hour episode of “Josh Gates Tonight” in which Gates will interview a list of celebrity guests and environmental experts about their commitment to preserving planet Earth.
Discovery also added another new special, tentatively titled “Impossible Croc Rescue.” Animal expert Forrest Galante travels to Indonesia to help local guides save the life of a man-eating saltwater crocodile who has a motorcycle tire stuck around its neck.
The three brand-new specials join previously announced programming including the 2019 documentary “The Story of Plastic,” “Racing Extinction,” which features artists and activities exploring how carbon emissions are linked to endangered species, and an encore mini-marathon of the series “Serengeti” about African wildlife narrated by “Us” star Lupita Nyong’o.
Here is the full schedule of Earth Day programming along with credits, from Discovery:
“RACING EXTINCTION” (ENCORE AIRING, APRIL 22 AT 7:00 a.m. ET/PT) is directed by Louie Psihoyos, producers are Fisher Stevens and Olivia Ahnemann; Gina Papabeis is co-producer.
“SERENGETI” (MINI MARATHON, EPISODES 2-6, APRIL 22 9:00 a.m. ET/PT) is created and produced by Simon
Fuller and directed and produced by John Downer. The series was commissioned for BBC TV by Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History and Specialist Factual. Nancy Daniels and Howard Swartz are executive producers for Discovery Channel.
“THE STORY OF PLASTIC” (APRIL 15, Discovery Go pre-premiere; APRIL 22, 2 p.m. ET/PT) is presented by the Story Of Stuff Project in association with React To Film; original music by Mike McCready (Pearl Jam) and Cody Westheimer; directed by Deia Schlosberg; produced by Kyle Cadotte, Megan Ponder and Stiv Wilson; co-executive producers, Dianna Cohen, Jackson Browne, and Seven McDonald; Executive Produced by Stiv Wilson, Coralie Charriol-Paul & Dennis Paul, and Michael O’Heaney.
“JOSH GATES TONIGHT” (April 22, 8 p.m. ET/PT) is produced for Discovery Channel by Ping Pong Productions. For Ping Pong Productions, executive producers are Brad Kuhlman, Casey Brumels and Gates, and Matthew Meltzer is the co-executive producer. For Discovery Channel, Michael Gara is executive producer and associate producer is Olivia Ghersen.
“THE GREAT GLOBAL CLEAN UP” (APRIL 22 AT 9:00 p.m. ET/PT) is produced by INE ENTERTAINMENT for Discovery Channel. Executive producers are Mark Koops, Sarah Davies, and Eric Day for INE ENTERTAINMENT. Efron, Michael Simkin and Jason Barrett are executive producers for NINJA’S RUNNIN’ WILD Executive Producers for Discovery Channel are Scott Lewers, Gretchen Eisele, and Joseph Schneier. Executive producers for Earth Day Network are Kathleen Rogers, Susan Bass and Tom Cosgrove.
“IMPOSSIBLE CROC RESCUE” (premiering April 22 at 10:00pm ET/PT) is produced by Hot Snakes Media for Discovery Channel. Eric Evangelista, Shannon Evangelista and Forrest Galante are executive producers for Hot Snakes Media. Sarah Russell is supervising producer and Keith Hoffman and Joseph Schneier are executive producers for Discovery Channel.