May 17, 2024 – Following the success of last year’s Channel 5 series Wonders of the Moon with Dara Ó Briain, the comedian, author, amateur astronomer and astrophotographer is set to explore space once again, this time focusing on the Moon’s fiery cousin, the Sun, in a new 2 x 60’ series co-produced by BBC Studios Science Unit and Krempelwood – Wonders of the Sun with Dara Ó Briain.

This two-part series for Channel 5 will see Dara Ó Briain embark on another journey of discovery, this time exploring our relationship with the Sun.

We first join Dara as he takes in the rarest of solar events – a total solar eclipse – sharing his experience with thousands of others. From there, Dara meets with solar experts at the forefront of their fields – from medical researchers to astronauts. He’ll be talking to scientists figuring out how to protect the Earth from solar superstorms and engineers actually building a Sun on Earth, in the form of the world’s largest nuclear fusion reactor.

The Sun, a 4.5-billion-year-old star really does dominate our lives, because without it, we quite literally wouldn’t be here.

Dara Ó Briain said: “I am thrilled to bring you these documentaries about the Sun, and how it both created us and will ultimately destroy us. Along the way, we see incredible things: including my first ever total solar eclipse, Nasa mission control in Houston, and the core of the world's largest Nuclear fusion reactor. We learn how it all began, and how it will all end. I mean what more can we show you?!"

Denise Seneviratne, Commissioning Editor, Non-Scripted UK Originals, Channel 5 said: “Wonders of the Moon was such a joy to bring to Channel 5 and there is no better person to help explore our nearest star than Dara Ó Brian. As the recent incredible Northern Lights display across the UK last week demonstrated, the Sun can be powerful and unpredictable! This will take us on a truly illuminating adventure that will shed light on how the Sun shapes our existence”.

Steve Crabtree, Executive Producer, BBC Studios Science Unit: “It’s fantastic to be working with Channel 5 and Dara again. Our audience loved his warmth, enthusiasm and enquiring mind and now he gets to do it all over again, but this time about the star that we wouldn’t, and couldn’t exist without, the star that controls the Earth’s ultimate destiny. Our Sun.”

Wonders of the Sun with Dara Ó Briain (w/t), a 2 x 60’ series commissioned by Denise Seneviratne - Commissioning Editor, Non-Scripted UK Originals, Channel 5 from BBC Studios Science Unit, ,it was developed by the Creative Director, UK Unscripted - Emma Lorenz. It will be Directed by Ross Kirby and Executive Produced by Steve Crabtree and is a co-production with Krempelwood.

Wonders of the Moon with Dara Ó Briain aired on Channel 5 in August 2023 and is available to stream on My5. A transmission date for Wonders of the Sun with Dara Ó Briain will be announced in due course.