AN ELITE TEAM OF RESEARCHERS RETURN TO THE FIELD WITH ALL NEW CLUES IN TRAVEL CHANNEL'S HIT SERIES "EXPEDITION BIGFOOT"

Team Believe an Advanced Algorithm is the Missing Key to Solving the Bigfoot Legend With Kickoff Special on Sunday, January 3 at 8 P.M. ET/PT and Second Season Beginning at 9 P.M.

NEW YORK (November 30, 2020) - 2020 may just be the year the world turned upside down. But for Travel Channel's "Expedition Bigfoot" team, it was a rare moment in time when three very important sets of data converged - and put them one step closer to capturing evidence of the legendary, elusive creature. The "Expedition Bigfoot" team have reassembled to review their findings from last season and reevaluate the algorithm to respond to the uptick in Bigfoot sightings just this year, in the new one-hour special premiering on Sunday, January 3 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Then the team hit the ground running for an exciting Season Two, premiering at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

The advanced data algorithm has revealed a 75,000-acre swatch of Appalachian forest in southeast Kentucky, where the mathematical odds of a Bigfoot encounter are greatly increased during a specific 21-day window. With limited time and opportunity, the team - including Bryce Johnson (expedition operations); Dr. Mireya Mayor (primatologist); Russell Acord (ex-military/survivalist); Ronny LeBlanc (Bigfoot researcher) - have honed in on promising new targets. And this year, their analysis has uncovered something new - possible Bigfoot migratory patterns that may reveal precisely where the legendary beasts will be and when they will be there.

Throughout their two-month journey, the team use the latest in advanced technologies to narrow their search within the designated target zones. As the investigation intensifies, evidence that Bigfoot are in the area begins to pile up - vocalizations, unexplained structures, DNA samples and massive 16-inch footprints that no man could have left behind. This scientific expedition may finally take one of the world's greatest mysteries out of the pages of legend and lore and into reality. The new season is comprised of 12 new one-hour episodes and two one-hour specials.

"Using science, technology and true grit, the team is genuinely invested in solving this iconic mystery and it's a wild and exciting ride - closing in on the legendary monster that is also the world champion of being socially distant," said Matthew Butler, general manager, Travel Channel.

To learn more about "Expedition Bigfoot," visit TravelChannel.com for show extras, behind-the-scenes photos and exclusive videos. Follow @TravelChannel and #TRVLBigfoot on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for additional content and updates.

"Expedition Bigfoot" is produced by Railsplitter Pictures for Travel Channel. For Railsplitter Pictures, the executive producers are Matt Ginsburg and Tim Healy. For Travel Channel, the executive producer is French Horwitz, Julie Meisner Eagle is vice president of production and development, Matthew Butler is general manager and Henry Schleiff is group president of Investigation Discovery, Travel Channel, American Heroes Channel and Destination America.

ABOUT THE 'EXPEDITION BIGFOOT' CAST

Bryce Johnson: Acclaimed actor/producer as well as creator and host of the popular podcast "Bigfoot Collectors Club," Bryce has been obsessed with Bigfoot ever since he was a young boy. Although acting is his profession, researching the strange and unexplained, along with crypto-zoological creatures, are his passion. Those pursuits converged in 2013, when Bryce starred in the critically lauded movie "Willow Creek," a found-footage horror film about a quest to find evidence of Bigfoot. While researching his role, Bryce met Robert "Bob" Gimlin, the man who, along with Roger Patterson, captured the legendary footage of Bigfoot in 1967. That meeting, and their subsequent friendship, cemented Bryce's commitment to pursuing the truth about the existence of Bigfoot. He can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Dr. Mireya Mayor: World-renowned primatologist, Fulbright Scholar and National Science Foundation Fellow, Mireya Mayor is not your typical scientist. For nearly two decades, she has been a wildlife correspondent, reporting on wildlife and habitat loss while advocating for solutions to the alarming trends. Mireya has been hailed as a "female Indiana Jones," in the media and is an inspiration to young women interested in science and exploration. A two-time Emmy Award-nominated field correspondent for the National Geographic Channel, Mireya reports to audiences worldwide on pertinent wildlife and habitat issues. Her explorations have led to several scientific discoveries, most notably her co-discovery of the world's smallest primates, a brand-new species to science. The daughter of Cuban immigrants, Mireya grew up in Miami and earned her bachelor's degree in anthropology and English at the University of Miami and went on to earn her Ph.D. from Stony Brook University. She recently joined Florida International University as director of the Exploration and Science Communication Initiative. Mireya is also the author of "Pink Boots and a Machete: My Journey from NFL Cheerleader to National Geographic Explorer." She can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as on the Web.

Russell Acord: Author of "Footprints of a Legend" and "Bigfoot and the Tripwire," event coordinator for the International Bigfoot Conference and skilled survivalist, retired Army Sergeant Russell Acord spends his free time traveling the Pacific Northwest looking for evidence of Bigfoot. Raised in the mountains of Montana, Russell takes a solid scientific approach to his Bigfoot research. His interest in the subject began when he saw the famous Patterson/Gimlin film, and he has been actively searching for Bigfoot since the late '70s. He can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as the Web.

Ronny LeBlanc: Ronny LeBlanc is a globally recognized figure in the world of paranormal, Bigfoot and UFOs. Ronny is an independent researcher, screenwriter and author of the critically acclaimed and best-selling book "Monsterland: Encounters With UFOs, Bigfoot and Orange Orbs," which details the history and connection between the various phenomena, highlighting his experience and a research area called Monsterland in central Massachusetts. Ronny was the first person ever to cast a Bigfoot print in the Bay State from a trackway discovered by a couple in Leominster State Forest in the summer of 2010. He is a regular speaker at the Exeter UFO Festival, New England UFO Conference and ParaFest and has been featured on nationally syndicated radio programs like "Coast to Coast AM with George Noory" and "Fade to Black with Jimmy Church." He was recently highlighted for his research experience in a cover story for The Boston Herald. He is the founder and host of the "Monsterland" podcast. He can be found on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, as well as the Web.

ABOUT TRAVEL CHANNEL

For the bold, daring and spontaneous; those adventurers who embrace the thrill of the unexpected; those risk-takers who aren't afraid of a little mystery; if you're up for anything, down for whatever, and above all, love great stories, journey on to Travel Channel. We're more than you expect and everything you didn't know you were looking for. Reaching more than 82 million U.S. cable homes, Travel Channel is the world's leading travel media brand. Fans also can visit Travel Channel for more information or interact with other fans through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. Travel Channel is owned by Discovery, Inc., a global leader in real life entertainment spanning 220 countries and territories, whose portfolio also includes Discovery Channel, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Investigation Discovery and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.