Mining reality series for the US

Coal, a mining reality series, has been announced by the producers of Deadliest Catch and Ice Road Truckers.

The docuseries by producer Thom Beers will air on cable channel Spike TV, chronicling the dangerous profession of coal mining set in West Virginia.

Despite the rescue of 33 Chilean miners, it has been in development for nearly a year.

“It didn’t take a tragedy, and then a miracle, to get us excited about this,” said Sharon Levy from Spike. “Obviously, we’re humongous fans of the kind of shows Thom does that celebrate the everyday man. He said, ‘We’re working on this project called “Coal,” ‘ and we said we’d take it.”

The show will focus on miners, families and community members, showing every major aspect of their jobs, from planting explosives to surface mining to working in a traditional mine shaft.

Levy said the dire situation in Chile during the past 70 days only reinforced the idea that a close look at the harsh realities of mining was overdue.

The network was prepared to announce the project weeks ago but held off until rescue workers could begin freeing the miners.

Source: Hollywood Reporter