AN EPIC TALE OF SWORDS AND STEEL COMING TO DISCOVERY CHANNEL

-- Big Giant Swords premieres on Tuesday, January 13, 2015 at 10PM ET/PT -

(New York, NY) - When it comes to gigantic swords, no one makes them bigger and badder than Irishman Michael Craughwell. Irish Mike is putting it all on the line to make his passion his profession by attempting to make a living designing and building these larger-than-life works of art. Joined by his trusty sidekick AmeriMike and a motley crew of artists and builders, this master of steel will attempt to bring to life the stuff of fairytales and legends. Will it be a soaring tale of triumph... or a bitter saga of defeat? Find out when BIG GIANT SWORDS premieres on JANUARY 13 at 10PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel.

A YouTube sensation, garnering hundreds of thousands of views per video, Irish Mike has been designing life-sized replicas of weapons inspired by video games and 80s fantasy sci-fi movies. He was launched into the spotlight after he was commissioned to make a life-sized, ornamental replica of a sword from Final Fantasy 7, and well, the rest is history. From solely making replica swords, Mike's business now focuses on his own original designs. At around $2,000 a pop and some swords weighing up to 80 pounds and coming in at 6 feet long, Irish Mike is used to taking his time to create these functional, metal masterpieces. But in order to make his passion a full-time gig, some changes have to be made. With a new business model calling for two swords a week, Irish Mike assembled a sword building team of questionable craftsmen and women, picked from the best, or rather, only candidates available on Martha's Vineyard, where he is based.

In the premiere episode, Irish Mike and his crew take on their first clients when they are tasked with creating a sword to rival Zeus's mighty lightning bolt by a team of storm chasers and a Chakram (a bladed throwing weapon from ancient India) for an MMA fighter. With just half the time to do what normally takes a few weeks, do Irish Mike and his amateur sword building team have what it takes to make a lightning blade worthy of Zeus himself, and a giant Chakram that can fly? Or will Irish Mike have to go back to the soul-crushing life of a welder?

BIG GIANT SWORDS is produced for Discovery Channel by Thinkfactory Media. Adam Freeman, Adam Reed, David Wechter and Leslie Greif are the executive producers for Thinkfactory Media. Craig Coffman and Joseph Boyle are the executive producers for Discovery Channel with Greg Wolf as associate producer.

About Discovery Channel

Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 210 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com.

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world's #1 pay-TV programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 220 countries and territories. Discovery is dedicated to satisfying curiosity, engaging and entertaining viewers with high-quality content on worldwide television networks, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery and Science, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Discovery also controls Eurosport International, a premier sports entertainment group, including six pay-TV network brands across Europe and Asia. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education, and a digital leader with a diversified online portfolio, including Discovery Digital Networks. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.