Nicole Gormley is one of the people that helps to make Expedition: Unknown what it is, but she also has a very successful career outside of the show.
Expedition: Unknown, which is hosted by the avid adventurer and explorer, Josh Gates, seeks to investigate some of the biggest mysteries, legends, myths and folklore that our world has to offer.
The series has now been on the air for more than 12 seasons (with various spin-offs and specials added into the mix over time) and still holds the title as the most popular unscripted cable series among men between the ages of 25 and 54.
Furthermore, its most recent season’s viewership increased with 14% from the previous season.
Nicole’s role on Expedition: Unknown
But although Expedition: Unknown’s jam-packed format is a large part of what has made the series so successful throughout its more than 12-season run, it also means that there is never much time to devote to the team which makes it all possible behind the scenes.
And one of the crew members who has diligently been working to keep Expedition: Unknown on the air for years is the acclaimed filmmaker and producer, Nicole Gormley.
Though Nicole describes herself as a freelance filmmaker, television producer, ocean lover and good eater, her incredible knack for what her website describes as telling “stories that inspire people to rethink our relationship to nature” has made her one of the most notable documentary filmmakers in the game.
Moreover, it continues to attract fans and accolades, even outside of this hit Discovery Channel show.
What you may not know about Nicole
It turns out Nicole is every bit as mysterious and unexpected as the documentaries that she has devoted so much of her time and energy to in the last couple of years.
And through a bit of crafty Expedition: Unknown-style internet sleuthing, we have uncovered a few fun facts about this shows’ producer, which may come as a shock to the average viewer. This includes:
| Detail | Description |
| Nicole has some unusual hobbies | When Nicole is not working on a new project for television or a brand, she can usually be found surfing, spearfishing, or just snapping a few nature shots while she is out and about. |
| Nicole used to have an insane travelling schedule | While Nicole’s schedule has now calmed down slightly, she has admitted that she once spent 300 days out of a single year travelling all around the world for different projects. |
| Nicole also makes branded content | While she is perhaps best known for her impressive television work, Nicole has also worked with brands like Patagonia, Lululemon, prAna, Nissan, Keen, Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Riffe, Billabong, through the years. |
| Nicole did not always know what she wanted to do with her life | Nicole may be a top-notch adventurer-filmmaker now, but she was actually a bit of a homebody when she was growing up. |
How Nicole’s career in the entertainment industry began
Although Nicole was evidently not interested in the outdoors or general adventuring when she was younger, she does have fond memories of visiting the beach with her family.
This is ultimately what prompted her to complete her Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Biology at the University of California Los Angeles.
However, Nicole seemingly felt a pull towards the creative, as she started interning at Discovery Channel while she was in college.
This is what kick started her career and led her down the path of working on many other expedition-type shows (including Discovery Channel’s immensely-popular Shark Week series and many more).
Other notable projects that Nicole has been involved in
Over the course of her successful career, Nicole has worked on many different projects for networks like Netflix, Discovery Channel, National Geographic, CNN and Channel 4.
This includes shows like American Guns, Haunted Collector, Tethered, Ugly Delicious, Legendary Locations, Polar Bears: Life on Thin Ice, Die Trying, and many more.
Nicole also made her directorial debut in the Lessons From Jeju short film, which earned her the Woods Hole Film Festival Jury Award for the Best Documentary Short and Best Cinematography in 2020.
What Nicole is working on now
Although Nicole clearly has an extremely full plate with all of the projects that she has been involved in over the years, it seems like she still makes time to have some fun.
According to Nicole’s Instagram activity, she has recently been taking a well-deserved trip through the northland of New Zealand.
However, she has not been slacking on the professional side of things by any means. She has also been working on her most recent short film project, Daughter of the Sea, which was released at the Mountainfilm Festival in May 2023.
