BBC Factual has announced two brand new major natural history series and three single films, including Wild London presented by David Attenborough for BBC One and iPlayer.
The series are The Green Planet II, the follow-up to The Green Planet which was broadcast in 2022 and Tiger Island, both for BBC One and iPlayer.
The other single films are Gordon Buchanan: Wild Horses and Me for BBC Two, BBC Scotland and iPlayer and Bearwalker for BBC Two and iPlayer.
In addition to the new programming, it is announced that David Attenborough will also narrate the upcoming six-part landmark series Kingdom, for BBC One and iPlayer.
Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, said: “Natural History is at the heart of what makes the BBC special. No other broadcaster invests so consistently in wildlife filmmaking or covers such an ambitious range of subjects and styles – from David Attenborough exploring the wildlife of his own city, to a team of intrepid filmmakers risking it all to document the secret lives of tigers in Nepal. The BBC remains the place to come to see beautiful, intelligent and entertaining programmes about the natural world, and I’m proud we continue to lead the way at a time of such uncertainty for our planet.”
Wild London
After a life spent travelling the globe, David Attenborough, the world’s most famous naturalist, turns his attention closer to home to explore the wildlife of England’s iconic capital in Wild London.
Having lived in London for 75 years, David has an intimate knowledge of the city’s natural history and there’s no better guide to introduce us to its most spectacular wildlife secrets.
London is considered the greenest city in the world with a surprising variety of animal dramas playing out in the most unexpected places. Whether it’s pigeons commuting by tube, snakes slithering along Regent’s canal, parakeets raiding city parks or beavers building a home next to a busy shopping centre, David reveals the incredible wild encounters to be experienced across his hometown.
Following the fortunes of a pair of peregrines nesting on the House of Parliament and a family of foxes living in the heart of Tottenham, David celebrates the extraordinary ways animals adapt to survive in the urban jungle and the inspiring initiatives to encourage nature back into the city
Captured over his centennial year, with David appearing in vision throughout, this personal and poignant film is a timely insight into how our cities can become homes for wildlife as well as ourselves.
Tom Hugh-Jones, Executive Producer said: “Wild London captures that Attenborough magic at its very best – presenting in vision throughout the film, having up-close encounters with animals and talking intimately about his own wildlife experiences.”
Katie Bowyer, Director of Development said “London Wildlife Trust is delighted to be co-producing Wild London. Our city has incredible wildlife on its doorstep, and we’re excited to see it brought to life for the nation to enjoy. But this wildlife is under threat, which is why it’s vital to showcase it — so people understand what we risk losing if we don’t act. Only by protecting and restoring nature today can we ensure it thrives for future generations.”
Wild London, a 1×60’ for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by Passion Pictures, co-produced by London Wildlife Trust. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Executive Producer is Tom Hugh-Jones and the Producer is Gaby Bastyra. The Commissioning Editor is Tom Watt-Smith. BBC Studios is handling global sales.
Kingdom
David Attenborough will narrate Kingdom, a major new six-part wildlife series that will chronicle the dramatic real-life sagas of four African animal families, in one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by BBC Studios Natural History Unit.
Filmed across five years in a single spectacular location, the lives and fates of our four families – leopards, hyenas, wild dogs and lions – are inextricably linked as they strive for a foothold in a remote and fertile river valley in Zambia. As well as the intense power struggles between these top predators, the series shows how a colourful supporting cast, from powerful elephant herds to flocks of hamerkops to troops of marauding baboons, impact our central characters in ways.
Felicity Lanchester, Series Producer says: “With David’s commentary the Kingdom series really sprung to life – a wry inflection here, warmth in his voice there and masterful dramatic timing around the action. He tells the story in the clearest, most compelling, and emotional way. We are so grateful for his involvement”
Kingdom, a 6×50’ series for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by BBC Studios Natural History Unit, co-produced by BBC America. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Executive Producer is Mike Gunton, the Series Editor is Simon Blakeney, and the Series Producer is Felicity Lanchester. BBC Studios is handling global sales.
Tiger Island
Tiger Island is a two-part series that explores one of the natural world’s best-kept secrets – an island containing one of the highest concentrations of tigers on Earth. An extraordinary conservation effort in Nepal has seen tiger numbers in some areas increase six-fold. Tigers usually live solitary lives, roaming territories of up to a hundred square kilometres. But on a river island in a community-owned forest, several adult tigers, including mothers with cubs, share just four-square kilometres of space. In a world-first, drone technology captures the intimate lives of these big cats from multiple angles simultaneously. Hunts, kills and many other memorable behaviours are revealed – some never filmed before. And with more tigers and humans moving into the area, life is set to become turbulent.
Matthew Wright, Series Producer says: “Tiger Island captures a remarkable species in an extraordinary setting. Filming in western Nepal, we recorded tiger behaviour that’s rarely — if ever — been seen before, including scenes of parenting, hunting, and fighting. The whole crew became deeply invested in these charismatic cats, sharing in the emotional journey of mothers raising their cubs, and I know viewers will feel the same connection when they see these powerful stories unfold.”
Tiger Island, a 2×60’ is a BBC Studios Natural History Production, co-produced by PBS for BBC One and iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning Specialist Factual. The Executive Producer is Roger Webb; Matthew Wright is Series Producer and Production Manager is Helen Wallbank. For PBS Nature produced by The WNET Group, the Executive Producer is Fred Kaufman, Series Producer is Bill Murphy, and Series Editor is Janet Hess. BBC Studios is handling global sales.
The Green Planet II
The multi award-winning The Green Planet changed the way we see plants, and now in a major five-part series, The Green Planet II will once again journey into their magical, parallel universe. The series will go further than ever before, exploring the extraordinary, interconnected relationships between plants and their animal neighbours.
Plants support all life on the planet, and every animal, including us, couldn’t survive without them. But it’s the plants that are in charge – both forging wonderfully harmonious relationships, but also using bribery, trickery and deception to get what they want.
Unique, cutting-edge filming technology including hyperlapse and multi axis robotics and 4K mini-drones, will transport the viewer into the plant’s world, showing life from their unique perspective and timescale, and capturing the drama of their dynamic lives.
Scott Alexander, Series Producer says: “For years plants have always been the backdrop to wildlife films but given the chance to put them front of stage and give them they recognition they deserve was one I couldn’t resist. By discovering, and revealing, just how clever, cunning, and devious they can be, and the surprising ways they use animals to get what they want, I hope we can begin to look at plants as individuals with lives full of challenges, struggles and dramas all of their own.”
The Green Planet II, a 5 x 60’ is a BBC Studios Natural History Unit production, co-produced by PBS and the Open University for BBC One and iPlayer and PBS. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Executive Producers are Mike Gunton and Holly Spearing; Series Producer is Scott Alexander and Production Manager is Anna McGill. The Commissioning Editor is Tom Watt-Smith. Diana El-Osta is Executive in Charge for PBS. BBC Studios is handling global sales.
Gordon Buchanan: Wild Horses and Me
As summer comes to a close, wildlife presenter Gordon Buchanan ventures deep into the epic majesty of Canada’s Rocky Mountains in search of wild horses. Powerful, dangerous and elusive, they are icons of the untamed West, yet these horses are surprisingly overlooked by science, and their wild lives remain largely undocumented. Gordon aims to change that.
Gordon said: “My love of horses runs deep – they have grace, strength and spirit in every stride. Going one step further and getting to know wild horses for the first time, and doing in the breathtaking landscape of the Canadian Rockies made my heart sing. These remarkable animals are a lesson in boundless freedom, and to film with them was one of the most uplifting and life affirming experiences of my 30-year career.”
Set against the stunning peaks, open grasslands, and shadowy pine forests, he finds a family group of two competing stallions, two mares and their two young foals. Which of the two stallions will earn the right to lead the herd? Why does the younger stallion, “Red” want to keep his band away from the super-herd that gathers every day, as they seek out protection from ravenous grizzly bears looking to fatten up for winter? To understand more about the horses, and this unusual family dynamic in particular, Gordon immerses himself into their world, attempting to befriend them, earn their trust, and experience their lives from within a herd of wild horses, something that hasn’t been attempted before.
Gordon must move carefully and think like a wild horse. But it’s not without its dangers; one well-placed kick could be fatal. So he must learn to read the subtle language of flicking ears, stamping hooves and quiet glances that reveal what they’re trying to tell each other about him, uncovering their complex intelligence and close family bonds.
As he begins to gain acceptance into the herd, he discovers that they face a greater danger than wild predators: the threat of being culled. He realises the devastating impact this would have on family groups, the fragile ecosystems they help to shape, and would erase a living symbol of the West’s untamed history.
Gordon Buchanan: Wild Horses and Me, a 1×60’ is made by Hello Halo for BBC Two, BBC Scotland and iPlayer. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual and David Harron for BBC Scotland. The Executive Producer is Wendy Rattray, the Producer/Director is Patrick Evans, the DOP is Robbie Labanowski and the Production Manager is Caroline McKirdy. The Commissioning Editor is Tom Watt-Smith.
Bearwalker
Bearwalker tells the emotional life story of wildlife biologist Lynn Rogers, who has lived closer to wild black bears than anyone ever before. This film follows his daughter, Colleen, as she returns home to the iconic Northwoods of Minnesota to help her aging father save his remarkable legacy.
Many in America have a paralysing fear of bears, yet, as a child, Colleen was raised among wild bears, never questioning her father’s unconventional bond with these animals. Now, a frail father and loving daughter face denial, heartache, and the looming threat of hunters while Lynn strives to see his favourite bear, ‘Lily,’ one last time.
Set against the raw beauty of the American wilderness and brought to life with rare, unseen archive footage, Bearwalker charts the fifty-year journey of a controversial scientific pioneer, revealing how challenging and overcoming fear can create a new relationship with the wild.
Peter Lown, Director, says: “Lynn Rogers questioned his fear of bears, asking, ‘Where is the evidence?’ – beginning a completely new way of thinking about bears. Walking with them, sleeping near them, he changed the way I saw the wild forever. This is a film about ‘fear’ and the beauty we discover when we confront it.”
Bearwatcher, a 1×75’, is made by Oak Island Films and Merit Motion Pictures production in association with Passion Planet and Wish Tree Films. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual. The Executive Producers are Merit Jensen Carr and David Allen, the Producer is Ted Oakes, and the Director is Peter Lowns. The Commissioning Editor is Tom Watt-Smith.
(Image: BBC/Passion Planet/Joe Loncraine)
Jon Creamer
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