Josh Gates brings wonder and adventure to Shreveport
Josh Gates, star of the Discovery Channel’s award-winning “Expedition Unknown,” is bringing his sense of discovery to Shreveport.
The hit show recently won this year’s Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Travel and Adventure Program, a win Josh said his team was absolutely thrilled for.
“We had a very, very exciting weekend,” Gates said. “We’re all paying for it now still, but it was an amazing time.”
The road that led Josh here was not a typical one. When it came to getting his start as a world explorer, he said it happened somewhat by accident. Growing up in the 80s, Josh loved classic adventure and action comedy films from “Indiana Jones” and “The Goonies” to the “Back to the Future” franchise. Josh’s father, Lee Gates, was a deep-sea diver who inspired Josh to follow his passion.
“I think as a kid from an early age, I just felt that I wanted to have my own adventures and my own explorations of the world,” Gates said. “I got really lucky to be able to do that. I was going to become an archeologist, and then I kind of fell into this whole TV world, and the rest is history.”
While the Emmy win is undoubtedly a career highlight, Josh said the most rewarding part of his career has been getting the chance to travel the world.
“There are many times on the show where I just pinch myself and say, ‘This is unbelievable that we’re here in this place,’” Gates said.
The newest season of “Expedition Unknown” will air on Wednesday, November 5, on the Discovery Channel. It will kick off with a two-part special on the Great Pyramid of Giza, where Josh and his crew will explore the inner tunnels and construction of the pyramid using 3D scanning.
“What a thrill to be able to not just visit these places, but really explore them,” Gates said. “I think that’s the most exciting part of it for me is the access to these places.”
Josh said he hopes these adventures will inspire younger generations to take up the mantle of discovering the world around them. While people think that they have access to all human knowledge and maps of the world at their fingertips with smartphones, Josh says many places in the world are still uncharted.
“It’s going to be stories of adventure, legends, mysteries, and things that go bump in the night because it’s almost Halloween,” Gates said. “If you’re a fan of the show, it’s an opportunity to hear behind-the-scenes stories. If you’re someone who’s just finding the show, it is an awesome evening of adventure. It’s a great night to come out and hear some thrilling tales.”
