A 20th century cargo shipwreck packed with 1,500 tons of explosives, is the subject of a Sky history show.

Hosted by Ross Kemp, Treasure Hunter, will tell the story of the Second World War, SS Richard Montgomery shipwreck in Sheerness.

Today, the ship floats in the Thames Estuary just two kilometres from land, but in August 1944, it was set to join a convoy en-route to war-torn Europe when she ran aground.

A government study carried out in the 1970s found that if the bombs were to detonate, it would cause the biggest ever non-nuclear explosion.

The force of the blast would be able to send a tsunami through the River Thames.

Kemp, a TV hard-man, well-known for his role as Grant Mitchell in EastEnders, tested his limits in the new four-part series.

Famous for tackling dangerous environments on shows, such as Ross Kemp in Afghanistan and Ross Kemp in search of Pirates; his latest adventure will go into detail about the ships' past.

He will dive on a series of wrecks around the British coastline, revealing their darkest secrets.

He added: "I'll tell you what, it made me think I am as soft as it gets."

It comes just months before the SS Montgomery's thick steel masks are set to be cut down in June.

The government's plan is to reduce the masts weight to prevent them collapsing onto the holds, and subsequently the TNT, which would cause an explosion.

The series begins on April 18 with all programmes airing at 9pm.

Just some of the wrecks include remains of a slave ship discovered off Plymouth, a kaiser’s sunken imperial fleet in Scapa Flow, Scotland, and an experimental submarine aircraft carrier.

The show also has personal ties for Ross, as members of his family served at sea, with some being shipwrecked and not surviving to tell their tales.

His great grandfather 'Pop' was in the merchant marines during the Second World War and survived being shipwrecked three times.

Pop's two nephews both served and perished aboard hms hood when it went into battle against the Bismarck in May 1941.

At age 57, Ross has undertaken specialist scuba training to dive into deep waters where the wreckages are.

The BAFTA award-winning documentary-makers said: "That's what's so special about diving on wrecks because these were places where people not only lived.

"They also worked on them, they fought on them, they died on them.

"Every one of them has an individual story, of sacrifice, of love of determination."

Ross is joined in his adventures by expert diver, Emily Turton, maritime archaeologist and professional diver, Mallory Haas, and dive supervisor Neil Brock as they delve down into Britain’s past.

Treasure Hunter will air on Sky's history channel on April 18 from 9pm