Travel Channel Explores Wildest Rides in New Series THRILL FACTOR, Debuting Tonight

By: TV News Desk Aug. 12, 2015

Before the kids go back to school and the leaves start to change, Travel Channel is keeping the summer fun going with its all-new series "Thrill Factor," premiering with back-to-back episodes tonight, August 12 at 8:00 p.m. & 8:30 p.m. ET/PT. In this 10-part half-hour series, hosts and thrill seekers Kari Byron and Tory Belleci take viewers along for THE RIDE as they explore the exciting world of thrill rides, waterslides and heart-pounding experiences around the globe through a scientific lens.

Byron and Belleci are no strangers to experimenting. Best known for their work on "MythBusters," the two are pros at investigating the Science behind some of the most interesting and crazy rumors, myths, movie scenes, adages and news stories. Now, the duo reunites in Travel Channel's "Thrill Factor," taking their passion for adventure, travel and Science to the max as they dive into the amazing engineering, physics and biomechanics that explain why these wild rides excite ADRENALINE JUNKIES around the world. From racing IndyCars in wine country to studying what it takes to plummet down the world's tallest waterslide in Kansas, each episode travels to amusement spots near and far, offering a different and daring thrill.

"We are thrilled - no pun intended - that Kari and Tory are joining the Travel Channel family," said Ross Babbit, senior vice president, programming and development, Travel Channel. "As true adventure seekers, they epitomize what travel is all about, and offer a unique scientific perspective to this great new series. Travel Channel is the perfect home for these OUTRAGEOUS experiments on some of the most amazing rides in the world."

In the premiere episode, Byron and Belleci investigate how drop rides are designed to exploit our natural fear of falling to both torture and thrill us. Heading to Florida's Busch Gardens, they take a ride on Falcon's Fury - the tallest freestanding ride in NORTH AMERICA - to experience the adrenaline firsthand. Then in the second half-hour premiere, Byron and Belleci travel to Indiana to determine whether there's any difference in how men and women react to extreme thrill rides. With the launch coaster Thunderbird as their lab, Byron and Belleci use high-tech biosensors to dissect the stress responses of male and female riders.

Whether they're jumping out of planes in Vegas or riding the world's first upside-down wooden rollercoaster in Wisconsin, Byron and Belleci serve as test subjects as they strap into these fast and frightening rides, collecting data behind the Science of fun.

"Thrill Factor" is produced by Base Productions. For Base Productions, the executive producers are John Brenkus and Murray Oden. For Travel Channel, the executive producer is Doug Bailey.

TRAVEL CHANNEL (http://www.travelchannel.com) is a multiplatform travel lifestyle brand with the core mission of providing inspiring and compelling programming that takes viewers beyond their everyday destinations, making the unfamiliar familiar, whether it's around the world or around the block. A dual feed network that is also available in HD, Travel Channel is the world's leading travel media brand, and is available in over 94 million U.S. cable homes. Owned and operated by Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), Travel Channel has offices in Chevy Chase, Md., and New York, N.Y. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI) also owns and operates HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country.