Sir David Attenborough to present major new BBC wildlife series

Sir David Attenborough is set to return to screens as part of a major new BBC series focusing on the UK’s wildlife. 

The natural history broadcaster, whose career spans seven decades, teamed up with The Open University, the WWF and the RSPB to create Wild Isles, a new documentary series aiming to capture never-before-seen aspects of UK wildlife’s behaviour.

Filming took place over three years and used cutting-edge technology, including motion controlled time-lapse photography, low-light cameras and macro photography.

Wild Isles, which will span across five episodes, promises to ‘do for the wildlife of Britain and Ireland what the Planet series have done for the wildlife of the world’.

BBC

The first episode of the BBC One series will detail why the wildlife and landscape of the British Isles is so globally important, while the next four episodes will explore woodlands, grasslands, freshwater and marine.

Viewers can expect to see an array of Britain’s most fascinating animals, wildlife and plants, including ancient oak trees, sea eagles, killer whales, wild horses and even a broomstick-riding bee.

Sir David said of the upcoming series: “In my long lifetime, I have travelled to almost every corner of our planet.

“I can assure you that in the British Isles, as well as astonishing scenery there are extraordinary animal dramas and wildlife spectacles to match anything I have seen on my global travels.”

BBC

Executive producer Alistair Fothergill said: “I have always wanted to make a landmark series that really does justice to our own extraordinary wildlife. I am sure people will be amazed at what is happening right on their own doorstep.”

The BBC’s head of commissioning for science and natural history Jack Bootle added: “The multi-award winning team at Silverback are creating an eye-opening celebration of British and Irish wildlife that has to be seen to be believed.

“You’ll think a meadow in Somerset is as beautiful as the Serengeti, and the North Atlantic as wild and dramatic as the Antarctic Ocean.”

Wild Isles is expected to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in Spring 2023.