It's dirty work and it's coming here

A top British film company is making a documentary series on the world's most difficult and dangerous jobs - and seeks Maori paua divers to sit alongside Colombian drug police and Australian opal miners.

Richard Welsh, the assistant producer of Dirty Work, says the series involves presenter Ashley Hames learning and carrying out the sorts of paid work that is capable of risking life, limb and possibly sanity.

In New Zealand, strict fishing regulations to maintain stocks mean paua can be gathered only through free diving - without bottled air. You're not even allowed to have scuba gear in your car, says the Ministry of Fisheries.

Making the task more difficult is that paua, which clamp their tough single feet to rocks, prefer exposed and wave-lashed locations in cooler southern waters.

But the shellfish has long been a staple for Maori and is an important part of hosting guests.

"The free-diving thing is what we're after - Ashley would have to do that," says Mr Welsh, who is based at London production company Shine. "I've been fascinated by some of the stories written about Maori paua divers in New Zealand."

Chatham Islands diver Kina Scollay, who survived a serious scrap with a shark while paua fishing in 1995, says the task is "an extreme job, no two ways about it, and sharks are definitely a risk. I got off lightly with all my limbs - I've got friends that haven't".

But sharks are a small risk, he says. More of a problem are full days in freezing water, spending two or three minutes underwater at a time. "You get an icecream headache straight away," he says. "It's hard physical labour while holding your breath. And paua like mongrel spots."

Mr Welsh says Mr Hames "will be throwing himself in head-first. He won't be commenting on them [the jobs] from the outside, he'll be experiencing them from the inside, and as such needs to be put through some really tough and potentially dangerous work".

And, he says, "it would be great if Ashley could also do a few other tough jobs while he's out there - we want to make his life as hard as possible".

Other jobs to be showcased in the 15-episode series include Alaskan crab fishing, opal mining and fighting bush fires in Australia and drug police in crime-ridden Colombia.

Mr Hames isn't well known to New Zealanders - but he has appeared on Sky TV here in an "adults-only" travel series, Sin Cities, in which he visited the world's most notorious fleshpots.

Shine, an independent film production house, was founded by Elisabeth Murdoch, daughter of media mogul Rupert, after she lost a high-profile battle with her brothers Lachlan and James to succeed their father.

Ms Murdoch is Shine's chief executive officer and chairwoman. The company makes drama, entertainment, factual series and features for broadcasters worldwide. 

* Contact Richard Welsh on the email address below.