The global superstar first learned of Kaavan’s plight through online activists who sought her help on Twitter
“I have a saying on my Twitter, ’Stand and be counted or sit and be nothing,’” says Cher, “and I wasn’t going to sit and be nothing.”
(Toronto, ON/New York, NY – April 22, 2021) – Smithsonian Channel follows the Oscar, Emmy and Grammy®Award-winning artist Cher as she travels to Pakistan to help save the “world’s loneliest elephant,” Kaavan. After spending nearly two decades living in chains under the scorching Islamabad sun, Kaavan, who suffers from obesity and depression, finds an unlikely ally in the global superstar, who first heard about the elephant via activists on social media. Cher advocated for Kaavan’s release for several years; she co-founded Free The Wild with partners Mark Cowne, Gine Nelthorpe Cowne and Jennifer Ruiz to further boost the movement and recorded the song Walls to give a voice to the rising calls for the elephant’s rescue. The one-hour documentary follows Cher along with a team of veterinarians and animal aid groups on their journey as they overcome a series of challenges to move a four-ton, malnourished elephant more than 2,300 miles to a sanctuary in Cambodia. Cher & The Loneliest Elephant broadcast linear premiere airs on Smithsonian Channel in the U.S. and Canada on Wednesday, May 19th at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Smithsonian Channel in Canada is also available on Amazon Prime Video with Cher & The Loneliest Elephant airing simultaneously on this platform on May 19th at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Filmed during a global pandemic, Cher & the Loneliest Elephant is produced by Nutshell TV Ltd. and Two Wise Monkeys Entertainment for Smithsonian Channel and Terra Mater Factual Studios. The executive producers are Mike Kemp for Nutshell TV Ltd., Phil Fairclough for Two Wise Monkeys Entertainment, Susanne Lummer for Terra Mater Factual Studios and Tria Thalman and Charles Poe for Smithsonian Channel.
Smithsonian Channel Canada, a Blue Ant Media network, is where curiosity lives, inspiration strikes and wonders never cease. Program genres, drawn from the world’s leading cultural institution, include air and space, science and nature, pop culture and history. Smithsonian Channel travels beyond the ordinary to reveal a vast scope of exciting stories and experiences that fuel the curiosity in all of us. smithsonianchannel.ca. Follow us on: Facebook.
About Smithsonian ChannelSmithsonian Channel™, a ViacomCBS Inc. brand, is the place for awe-inspiring stories, powerful documentaries and amazing factual entertainment, available in HD and 4K Ultra HD across multiple platforms. Smithsonian Channel, winner of Emmy® and Peabody awards, is the home of popular genres such as air and space, travel, history, science, nature and pop culture. Among the brand’s hit series are Aerial America, America in Color, America’s Hidden Stories, Apollo’s Moon Shot, The Pacific War in Color and Air Disasters, as well as critically-acclaimed specials that include The Green Book: Guide to Freedom, Black in Space: Breaking the Color Barrier, Walk Against Fear: James Meredith and Princess Diana’s Wicked Stepmother. Smithsonian Channel is available internationally in Canada, Singapore, Latin America, the UK and Ireland.
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