Series synopsis
Shackleton is a British drama action & adventure television series that premiered on Channel 4 on January 2, 2002. It ended on January 3, 2002. It stars Kenneth Branagh, Phoebe Nicholls, Eve Best and Mark Tandy.
The true story of Ernest Shackleton's 1914 Endurance expedition to the the South Pole and his epic struggle to lead his crew to safety after his ship was crushed in the pack ice.
Premise
The true story of Ernest Shackleton's 1914 Endurance expedition to the the South Pole and his epic struggle to lead his crew to safety after his ship was crushed in the pack ice.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Kenneth Branagh as Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton
- Phoebe Nicholls as Emily Shackleton
- Eve Best as Eleanor Shackleton
- Mark Tandy as Frank Shackleton
- Ian Mercer as Ernest Holness
- Lorcan Cranitch as Frank Wild
- Kevin McNally as Frank Worsley
- Ken Drury as Henry Mcneish
Supporting cast
- Shaun Dooley as Hubert Hudson
- Pip Torrens as James McIlroy
- Jamie Lee as James Wordie
- Corin Redgrave as Lord Curzon
- Danny Webb as Perris
- Embeth Davidtz as Rosalind Chetwynd
- Mark McGann as Tom Crean
- Nicholas Rowe as Thomas Orde-Lees
- Nigel Whitmey as William Blakewell
- Chris Larkin as George Marston
- Nicholas Hewetson as Alexander Macklin
- Christian Steel as Leonard Hussey
Guest cast
- Ben Silverstone as Very Young Applicant
- Angus Barnett as Wounded Soldier
- John Grillo as Franks
- Paul Humpoletz as Man in Audience
- Cicely Delaney as Cecily Shackleton
- Christian Young as Raymond Shackleton
- Gino Melvazzi as Head Waiter
- Michael Culkin as Jack Morgan
- Abby Ford as Marcie
- Ron Donachie as Keltie
- Robert Swann as Freshfield
- Elizabeth Spriggs as Janet Stancombe Wills
Episodes
This series spans 2 seasons with 5 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 3 | ||
| Season 1 | 2 | January 2, 2002 | January 3, 2002 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Making of Shackleton Go behind the scenes with Kenneth Branagh, director Charles Sturridge, and the rest of the cast and crew as they endure five weeks of dangerous shooting on the floes off Greenland. Like the Endurance itself, their Norwegian ice breaking ship (and base of operations) became trapped in the ice, and crew members actually had to carry shotguns to ward off polar bears! |
|
| 2 |
Biography: Ernest Shackleton A & E's landmark series sheds new light on the life and adventures of the legendary polar explorer whose leadership style has been embraced by 21st-century companies worldwide. |
|
| 3 |
Antarctica: A Frozen History From the discovery in 1773 by Captain Cook to the extraordinary expeditions led by men like Robert Scott, Ernest Shackleton, and Raold Amundsen, THE HISTORY CHANNEL chronicles the epic adventures at the bottom of the world, while a visit to Antarctica today captures the continent's savage beauty and undiminished danger. |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Part 1 London, 1914. The explorer Ernest Shackleton attempts to raise funds for his expedition to the South Pole on the eve of the First World War, as well as struggling with a complex personal life and his brother's imprisonment for fraud. |
January 2, 2002 |
| 2 |
Part 2 With their ship trapped, Shackleton and his men are forced onto the ice, and it becomes clear that the only way out is to haul boats across the ice floes to the sea. Against all odds, the men reach the water and endure a ninety-mile journey across the South Atlantic to Elephant Island. |
January 3, 2002 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | Channel 4 |
|---|---|
| First aired | January 2, 2002 |
| Last aired | January 3, 2002 |
| Runtime | 103 minutes |
| Status | Ended |
| Schedule | Wednesday, Thursday at 21:00:00 |