This is a chronological list of selected television programmes and feature films produced or co-produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit since its inception in 1957. It is not intended to be exhaustive given the large amount of material the Unit has produced in its history, but it does capture all the major TV series and films for which it has gained recognition. A brief synopsis of Pre 1957 radio and television programmes on a natural history theme made by the BBC is given in the History section of the main BBC Studios Natural History Unit article.
Television productions
editThis article contains promotional content. (April 2023) |
| Series Title | Year(s) Broadcast | Subject | Contributors | Production Partners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Faraway Look | 1957 | Wildlife of Australasia | Peter and Philippa Scott (presenter) | |
| Eastwards with Attenborough | 1973 | Expedition to South East Asia | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| Life on Earth | 1979 | The evolution of life | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| The Living Planet | 1984 | How organisms adapt to their environment | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| The Living Isles | 1985 | British wildlife | Julian Pettifer (presenter) and Peter Crawford (presenter) | |
| The First Eden | 1987 | A four-part natural history documentary presenting a portrait of the Mediterranean Sea and the lands around it | David Attenborough (narrator/presenter) | |
| Supersense | 1988 | Sensory perception in animals | Andrew Sachs (narrator) | |
| Land of the Eagle | 1990 | The Natural History & Colonisation of North America | Alan Ereira (narrator) and Peter Crawford (producer) | |
| The Trials of Life | 1990 | Animal behaviour | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| Sea Trek | 1991 | Exploration of dive sites | Martha Holmes (presenter) and Mike deGruy (presenter) | |
| Lifesense | 1991 | Ground-breaking perception and precision in animals | Andrew Sachs (narrator) | |
| Realms of the Russian Bear | 1992 | Natural history of the former USSR states | Nikolai Drozdov (presenter) | |
| Killing for a living | 1993, 1996, 1997 | Many animals live by a simple natural law, kill or be killed, and have their own strategies for survival. The first three episodes aired in 1993, with episode four picking up in 1996. | Anthony Hopkins (narrator) (eps. 1–3); John Shrapnel (narrator) (eps. 4–13) | |
| Life in the Freezer | 1993 | Natural history of Antarctica | David Attenborough (presenter) and Alastair Fothergill (producer) | |
| The Private Life of Plants | 1995 | A study of the plants | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| Alien Empire | 1996 | A series looking at the world of the insects | John Shrapnel (narrator) | |
| Spirits of the Jaguar | 1996 | Natural History of Central America | Alan Ereira (narrator) | |
| Incredible Journeys | 1997 | Animal migration | Geoffrey Palmer (narrator) and Nigel Marven (producer) | |
| Land of the Tiger | 1997 | Natural history of the Indian subcontinent | Valmik Thapar (presenter) | |
| The Life of Birds | 1998 | A natural history of birds | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| Earth Story | 1998 | Aubrey Manning finds out how old our planet is and what it looked like when it was newly formed. | Aubrey Manning (presenter) | |
| Supernatural | 1999 | Investigating extraordinary feats and strange powers of animals. | Andrew Sachs (narrator) | |
| Living Britain | 1999 | British natural history | Samuel West (narrator), Peter Crawford (producer) | |
| Predators | 2000 | The strategy and tactics that predators use to catch their prey. | John Hannah (narrator) | |
| Cousins | 2000 | Charlotte Uhlenbroek explores the world of the primates - our closest relatives. | Charlotte Uhlenbroek (presenter) | |
| Andes to Amazon | 2000 | A portrait of South American landscapes and wildlife. Also known as Wild South America for the release. | Fergal Keane (narrator) | |
| State of the Planet | 2000 | The impact of humans on the natural world | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| Congo | 2001 | A portrait of the great central African river's, forests, and wildlife. | John Lynch (narrator) and Brian Leith (producer) | |
| Ultimate Killers | 2001 | Hunting techniques of predators. | Steve Leonard (presenter) | |
| The Blue Planet | 2001 | A natural history of the oceans. Also known as The Blue Planet: Seas of Life for North America release. | David Attenborough (narrator), Alastair Fothergill (producer) | |
| Wild Africa | 2001 | A portrait of Africa's landscapes and wildlife. | Fergal Keane (narrator) | |
| Weird Nature | 2002 | Strange animal behavior | Ciaran McMenamin | |
| Talking with Animals | 2002 | A four-part series covering animal communication in various environments. | Charlotte Uhlenbroek (narrator) | |
| Animals - The Inside Story | 2002 | An exploration into the extremes of habitats where animals live, and even right inside their bodies to see how their physiology works. | Robert Lindsay (narrator) | |
| Wild New World[1][2] | 2002 | Prehistory and wildlife of America from the arrival of humans to the end of the Ice Age. Also known as Prehistoric America for North America release. | Jack Fortune (narrator) | |
| The Life of Mammals | 2002 | A natural history of mammals. | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| Wild Weather | 2002 | A four-part series focusing on the extremes of wind, wet, cold and heat, and explore how these produce hurricanes, monsoons, ice storms and tornadoes, as well as regulate the global environment. | Donal MacIntyre (presenter) | |
| Monsters We Met[3] | 2003 | A look at man's impact on landscapes and species | Ian Holm (narrator) | |
| Wild In Your Garden | 2003 | Garden wildlife. | Bill Oddie (presenter), Kate Humble (presenter), Simon King (presenter) | |
| Wild Down Under | 2003 | A portrait of Australasia's landscapes and wildlife. Also known as Wild Australasia for international release. | Matt Day (narrator) | |
| Jungle | 2003 | Wildlife of the world's rainforests. | Charlotte Uhlenbroek (presenter) | |
| The Nile | 2004 | The history and natural history of the Nile. | Simon MacCorkindale (presenter) | |
| Dragons Alive | 2004 | The natural history of the reptiles. | Lloyd Owen (narrator) | |
| Britain Goes Wild | 2004 | The coming of spring in Britain. | Bill Oddie (presenter), Kate Humble (presenter), Simon King (presenter) | |
| Massive Nature | 2004 | An epic run of nature documentaries charting the behaviour of large groups of animals and their predators. | Sean Pertwee (narrator) | |
| Animal Camera | 2004 | Steve Leonard investigates how new technology reveals the secrets of the animal world. | Steve Leonard | |
| British Isles - A Natural History | 2004 | The natural history of the British Isles. | Alan Titchmarsh (presenter) | |
| Europe: A Natural History | 2005 | How European landscapes and wildlife have changed through time. | Sean Pertwee (narrator) | |
| Journey of Life | 2005 | A five-part series covering evolution on land, sea and air. | Steve Leonard (presenter) | |
| Elephant Diaries | 2005, 2008 | Wildlife series following the lives of a group of orphaned African bush elephants at the David Shelrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya. | Michaela Strachan & Jonathan Scott (presenters) | |
| Life in the Undergrowth | 2005 | A study of terrestrial invertebrates. | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| Planet Earth | 2006 | A portrait of Earth's wildernesses and wildlife spectacles. | David Attenborough (narrator), Alastair Fothergill (producer) | |
| Ocean Odyssey | 2006 | A documentary looking at the ocean abyss and its bizarre creatures. The programme also traces the 80 year story of the largest predator ever to have evolved, the sperm whale. | Bernard Hill (narrator) | |
| Galápagos | 2006 | A natural history of the Pacific islands. | Tilda Swinton (narrator) | |
| Incredible Animal Journeys | 2006 | A six-part documentary series about some of the more amazing journeys taken by polar bears, whales, ospreys, wild dogs, bar-headed geese, and caribou. | Steve Leonard (narrator/presenter) | |
| Planet Earth: The Future | 2006 | Highlighting the conservation issues surrounding some of the species and environments featured in Planet Earth. | Simon Poland (narrator), Fergus Beeley (producer) | |
| Expedition Borneo | 2007 | Wildlife adventure series following a team of explorers in the heart of the tropical island of Borneo. | Alisdair Simpson (narrator) | |
| Wild Caribbean | 2007 | A natural history of the Caribbean islands and Sea. | Steve Toussaint (narrator) | |
| Orangutan Diary | 2007, 2009 | Wildlife series following the work of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation and the lives of a group of orphaned and rescued orangutans at the Nyaru Menteng Rehabilitation Centre. | Michaela Strachan (presenter), Steve Leonard (presenter) | |
| Saving Planet Earth | 2007 | A season of programmes dedicated to wildlife conservation. | David Attenborough (presenter), Alan Titchmarsh (presenter) and others | |
| Ganges | 2007 | A journey along the sacred river from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal. | Sudha Bhuchar (narrator) | |
| The Nature of Britain | 2007 | A survey of British wildlife and habitats. | Alan Titchmarsh (presenter) | |
| Life in Cold Blood | 2008 | A series dedicated to reptiles and amphibians. | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| Wild China | 2008 | The BBC's first natural history series dedicated to China. | Bernard Hill (narrator) | |
| Fossil Detectives | 2008 | An eight-part series in which Open University associate lecturer Dr. Hermione Cockburn leads a team of fossil experts and geologists around different regions of Britain to search for fossil treasures and mysteries. | Dr. Hermione Cockburn (presenter) | |
| Oceans | 2008 | Four marine experts explore the planet's oceans. They reveal the hidden stories of the deep through archaeology, geology, marine biology and anthropology. | Paul Rose (presenter), Phillipe Cousteau (presenter), Lucy Blue (presenter), Tooni Mahto (presenter) | |
| The Secret Life of Elephants | 2009 | A three-part series revealing the emotional and dramatic lives of elephants in Kenya's Samburu National Reserve. | Sarah Parish (narrator) | |
| Nature's Great Events | 2009 | The world's principal seasonal changes and their impact on wildlife. Also known as Nature's Most Amazing Events for North America release. | David Attenborough (narrator) | |
| Yellowstone | 2009 | A year in the life of the animals of Yellowstone National Park. | Peter Firth (narrator) | |
| South Pacific | 2009 | Natural history of the islands of the South Pacific. Also known as Wild Pacific for North America release. | Benedict Cumberbatch (narrator) | |
| The Incredible Human Journey | 2009 | This five-part series explains the evidence for the theory of early human migrations out of Africa and subsequently around the world, supporting the Out of Africa Theory. There is a companion book, also by Alice Roberts.[4] | Alice Roberts (presenter) | |
| Living With Monkeys: Tales From the Treetops | 2009 | Adventurer Guy Grieve and primatologist Dr. Julie Anderson spend six weeks in the rainforest of Gabon, trying to save one of the world's rarest monkeys. | Guy Grieve (presenter), Dr. Julie Anderson (presenter) | |
| Life | 2009 | Blue-chip series looking at extraordinary animal behaviour from all parts of the natural world. | David Attenborough (narrator) | |
| The Great Rift: Africa's Wild Heart | 2010 | A series looking at flora, fauna, and people of the Great Rift Valley. | Hugh Quarshie (narrator) | |
| Simon King's Shetland Adventure | 2010 | Wildlife cameraman and presenter Simon King sets off on an adventure to the Shetland Isles to live, through the changing seasons, with his family | Simon King (presenter), Marguerite Smits van Oyen (presenter) | |
| Wild Wales | 2010 | Wildlife and landscapes of Wales over the course of a single year. | Iolo Williams (narrator) | |
| Mountain Gorilla | 2010 | Intimate footage of Africa's few remaining mountain gorillas. | Patrick Stewart (narrator) | |
| Birds Britannia | 2010 | A series looking at the different birds that live in the UK, and the stories they can tell us about the British people over time. | Bill Paterson (narrator) | |
| Iolo's Secret Life of Birds | 2010 | A five-part series covering the life of birds in Wales, and how they have adapted to their environment. | Iolo Williams (presenter) | |
| The Bear Family & Me | 2011 | Gordon Buchanan tries to gain the trust of a wild bear family in the American wilderness. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Human Planet | 2011 | Mankind's relationship with nature in the world today. | John Hurt (narrator) | |
| Madagascar | 2011 | A natural history of Madagascar. | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| The Animal's Guide to Britain | 2011 | Chris Packham examines Britain from an animal's point of view as he tries to understand their needs. | Chris Packham (presenter) | |
| Britain's Secret Seas | 2011 | A four-part series featuring underwater photography revealing Britain's native waters to be as dramatic, colourful and surprising as the other oceans of the world. | Paul Rose (presenter), Frank Pope (presenter), Tooni Mahto (presenter) | |
| Ocean Giants | 2011 | A natural history of whales and dolphins. | Stephen Fry (narrator) | |
| Nature's Miracle Babies | 2011 | Zoologist Martin Hughes-Games travels the world to discover the plight of threatened species and meets the babies born against the odds. | Martin Hughes-Games (presenter) | |
| Frozen Planet | 2011 | A seven-part survey of the polar regions. | David Attenborough (narrator/presenter) and Alastair Fothergill (producer) | |
| Iolo's Jewels of Wales | 2011 | Iolo Williams discusses his favourite Welsh landscapes and wildlife. Episodes are themed around water, mineral wealth, lowlands, and uplands. | Iolo Williams (narrator) | |
| Great Barrier Reef | 2012 | Exploring Australia's Great Barrier Reef, the largest living structure on our planet. | Monty Halls (presenter) | |
| Survivors: Nature's Indestructible Creatures | 2012 | Professor Richard Fortey travels across the globe to find the survivors of mass extinction events. | Richard Fortey (presenter) | |
| Super Smart Animals | 2012 | Animal intelligence | Liz Bonnin (presenter) | |
| Swimming with Crocodiles | 2012 | A two-part series where Ben Fogle and a team of scientists study the underwater behaviour of crocodiles. Episode one covers Nile crocodiles in Botswana, and episode two covers saltwater crocodiles in Australia's Northern Territory. | Ben Fogle (presenter) | |
| Orbit: Earth's Extraordinary Journey | 2012 | Kate Humble and Helen Czerski look at the impact the Sun has on the Earth as a year progresses. | Kate Humble (presenter), Helen Czerski (presenter) | |
| Land of the Lost Wolves | 2012 | Two-part natural history series following the fortunes of one very special pack of wolves as they return to North America's West Coast. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Planet Earth Live | 2012 | Series featuring live wildlife footage from across the globe. Also known as 24/7 Wild for international release. | Julia Bradbury and Richard Hammond (presenter) | |
| Secrets of Our Living Planet | 2012 | Biodiversity, ecosystems and the complex relationships between plants and animals. Also known as How Nature Works for international release. | Chris Packham (presenter) | |
| Nature's Microworlds | 2012–2013 | Nature series which looks at some of the world's most iconic ecosystems | Steve Backshall (narrator) | |
| A Year in the Wild | 2012 | The landscapes and wildlife of some of Britain's most iconic National Parks, seen through the eyes of people who know them best. | Hermione Norris (narrator) | |
| The Dark: Nature's Nighttime World | 2012 | An expedition team films nocturnal creatures in Central and South America. | Andy Serkis (narrator), Gordon Buchanan (presenter), George McGavin (presenter) and Justine Evans (presenter) | |
| Planet Earth Specials | 2012 | The real-life stories of individual young animals growing up in the wild. | Julia Bradbury (narrator) | |
| Attenborough: 60 Years in the Wild | 2012 | Over three very personal films, David Attenborough looks back at the unparalleled changes in natural history that he has witnessed during his 60-year career. | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| Africa | 2013 | A six-part series that explores wildlife in Africa. | David Attenborough (narrator/presenter) | |
| The Polar Bear Family & Me | 2013 | Wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan follows a wild polar bear family over three seasons in Svalbard. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Wild Arabia | 2013 | A three-part series that explores the Arabian wildlife, landscape and people. | Alexander Siddig (narrator) | |
| Wild Burma: Nature's Lost Kingdom | 2013 | Scientists and film-makers travel to Burma to survey endangered wildlife, the first such expedition in 50 years. | Paterson Joseph (narrator), Gordon Buchanan (presenter), Ross Piper (presenter), Justine Evans (presenter) | |
| Great Bear Stakeout | 2013 | Deep in Alaska an expert team of film-makers follow the lives of grizzly bears. | Billy Connolly (narrator) | |
| Ice Age Giants[5] | 2013 | A three-part series about the great beasts of the Ice Age in North America and Europe. | Alice Roberts (presenter) | |
| Operation Snow Tiger | 2013 | Liz Bonnin helps conservationists find and protect three orphaned tiger cubs, while also looking at how tigers can be protected in the Russian wilderness. | Liz Bonnin (presenter) | |
| The Burrowers | 2013 | A three part series looking at the lives of animals that live underground. | Chris Packham | |
| The Great British Year | 2013 | A portrait of the dynamic nature of Britain over the course of one year. Also known as Wild Kingdom for international release. | Joseph Fiennes (narrator) | |
| Africa 2013: Countdown to the Rains | 2013 | Kate Humble and Simon King follow the animals living along Zambia's Luangwa River, from the last days of the longest dry season in memory to the arrival of the rains that will change everything. Also known as Countdown to the Rains for international release. | Kate Humble (presenter), Simon King (presenter) | |
| Animal Odd Couples | 2013 | Why animals of different species make friends with each other, and even with humans. | Liz Bonnin (presenter) | |
| Wild Brazil | 2014 | Series documenting the lives of Brazil's most charismatic animals: jaguars, giant otters, coatis and tufted capuchins. Also known as Brazil Gone Wild for North America release. | Stephen Mangan (narrator) | |
| Hidden Kingdoms | 2014 | Dramatized documentary series showing how diminutive animals experience the world from their perspective. Also known as Mini Monsters for Discovery Channel release. | Stephen Fry (narrator) | |
| 24 Hours on Earth | 2014 | A two-part series of a day in the life of our planet. | Matthew Macfadyen (narrator) | |
| Life Story | 2014 | A six-part series following specific animals from birth to parenthood. | David Attenborough (narrator/presenter) | |
| Inside the Animal Mind | 2014 | Three part series that looks at how animals perceive and interact with the world. | Chris Packham (presenter) | |
| Secrets of Bones | 2014 | A six-part series looking at the bones of animals. | Ben Garrod (presenter) | |
| Monkey Planet | 2014 | A global survey of the primate order. | George McGavin (presenter) | |
| Tigers About the House | 2014 | A programme following Giles Clark as he helps to bring up two young tiger cubs in his home. | Giles Clark | |
| Talk to the Animals | 2014 | Animal communication. | Lucy Cooke (presenter) | |
| The Wonder of Animals | 2014 | Series takes a in-depth look at nature's winners to reveal the secret of animals success. | Chris Packham (presenter) | |
| Super Senses: The Secret Power of Animals | 2014 | A three-part series exploring the extraordinary world of animal senses. | Helen Czerski and Patrick Aryee (presenters) | |
| Nature's Miracle Orphans | 2014, 2016 | Observational documentary series following orphaned baby animals and the dedicated people that rescue, rehabilitate and release them back into the wild. | Ellie Harrison (presenter), Max Hug Williams (presenter), Lucy Cooke (presenter), Patrick Aryee (presenter) | |
| Wonders of the Monsoon | 2014 | A five-part series exploring the effect of the monsoon on the wildlife of the Indian Subcontinent and South East Asia. Also known as Lands of the Monsoon for international release. | Colin Salmon (narrator) | |
| Snow Wolf Family & Me | 2014 | Gordon Buchanan travels to the remote Canadian Arctic in search of wolves that have never seen people. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Alaska: Earth's Frozen Kingdom | 2015 | A three-part series that looks at a year in Alaska, revealing the stories of pioneering Alaskans, both animal and human, as they battle the elements. Also known as Wild Alaska for international release. | Dougray Scott (narrator) | |
| Shark | 2015 | A three-part series on over thirty species of shark which shows how they hunt, their intricate social lives, courtship, growing up and the threats they face. | Paul McGann (narrator) | |
| Japan: Earth's Enchanted Islands | 2015 | A three-part series about the natural world and wildlife of Japan's islands: Honshu, Hokkaido and the southernmost Islands. Also known as Wild Japan for international release. | Michelle Dockery (narrator) | |
| World's Weirdest Events | 2015 | A series that explores the unexplained, the unexpected and the unidentifiable events of the natural world. Also known as Weird Wonders for BBC America and Weird Wonders of the World for international release. | Chris Packham (presenter) | |
| Great Barrier Reef with David Attenborough | 2015 | David Attenborough visits the Great Barrier Reef. Also known as David Attenborough's Great Barrier Reef for international release. | David Attenborough (presenter) | |
| Kate Humble: Into the Volcano | 2015 | A team of geologists at the Vanuatu archipelago investigates some of the most active volcanoes in the world. | Kate Humble (presenter) | |
| Animals in Love | 2015 | A two-part series about animal relationships. | Liz Bonnin (presenter) | |
| Hidden India | 2015 | A three-part BBC series showcasing various facets of the rivers, mountains and wildlife of remote areas of India. | Geraldine James (narrator) | |
| Nature's Greatest Dancers | 2015 | A two-part series exploring the flamboyant, eye-catching and sometimes bizarre world of slick animal movers. | Steve Backshall (narrator) | |
| Animal Super Parents | 2015 | A two-part series revealing the weird and wonderful stories of some of the natural world's most incredible parents. | Hugh Dennis (narrator) | |
| Atlantic: The Wildest Ocean on Earth | 2015 | A three-part series exploring the Atlantic Ocean that stretches nearly 10,000 miles, from Arctic to Antarctic and from sun-drenched tropical reefs to crushing abyssal depths. Also known as Wild Atlantic for European release. | Cillian Murphy (narrator) | |
| Earth's Natural Wonders | 2015, 2018 | Series which explores natural wonders and examines what it takes to survive in some of the most extreme places on the planet. | Olivia Colman (narrator, Series 1), Sophie Okonedo (narrator, Series 2) | |
| Big Blue Live | 2015 | Series celebrates a wildlife success story and marine animal phenomenon in Monterey Bay, California. Also known as Big Blue: Monterey Bay for international release. | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (presenter), Steve Backshall (presenter), Liz Bonnin (presenter), Matt Baker (presenter) | |
| Big Blue UK | 2015 | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and a team of marine enthusiasts follow the animals arriving and thriving in UK waters. | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (presenter), Lindsey Chapman (presenter), Richard Taylor-Jones (presenter) | |
| India: Nature's Wonderland | 2015 | Two-part series which travels to land of stunning wildlife, ancient cultures and extreme landscapes of India. | Liz Bonnin (presenter), Freida Pinto (presenter), Jon Gupta (presenter) | |
| Patagonia: Earth's Secret Paradise | 2015 | A three-part series exploring the landscapes and wildlife of Patagonia. Also known as Wild Patagonia for international release. | Santiago Cabrera (narrator) | |
| Earth's Wildest Waters: The Big Fish | 2015 | Series follows the eight British fishermen by using their skills to the limit in six epic fishing locations across the world. Also known as The Big Catch for international release. | Ben Fogle (presenter) | |
| Gorilla Family & Me | 2015 | Gordon Buchanan travels to the Democratic Republic of Congo to meet a family of rare Grauer's gorillas. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Wild West: America's Great Frontier | 2016 | Three-part series which explores the ways nature has found to survive in the extremely testing land of the wild west. Also known as Wild West for international release. | James Norton (narrator) | |
| Planet Earth II | 2016 | Series explores the unique characteristics of jungles, deserts, mountains, islands, grasslands and cities of Earth's most iconic habitats, and the ways animals survive within them. | David Attenborough (narrator/presenter) | |
| Nature's Wonderlands: Islands of Evolution | 2016 | Professor Richard Fortey investigates why islands are natural laboratories of evolution, and meets some of the unique species that live on them. | Richard Fortey (presenter) | |
| Earth's Greatest Spectacles | 2016 | Set in three of the most seasonally changeable landscapes on earth, revealing the processes that occur each year and showing how wildlife adapts to cope. Also known as Seasonal Wonderlands for international release. | Domhnall Gleeson (narrator) | |
| The Last Seabird Summer? | 2016 | A series about the seabirds of the Shiants—a small cluster of Scottish islands—and the history of humanity's relationship with seabirds in this part of the world. | Adam Nicolson (presenter) | |
| Extreme Mountain Challenge | 2016 | Steve Backshall embarks on one of the most dramatic expeditions ever filmed as his mission is to ascend Venezuela's tepuis - ancient, sheer-sided mountains. | Steve Backshall (presenter) | |
| Life in the Air | 2016 | Documentary series exploring the animals from around the world that take to the air. Also known as SuperNature - Wild Flyers for PBS release. | Suranne Jones (narrator) | |
| Into the Wild | 2016 | Gordon Buchanan takes some well-known UK public figures on a wildlife adventure where they get up close and personal with some of the UK's most iconic species. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Nick Baker's Wild West | 2016 | Nick Baker looks at the wildlife to be found around the south west of England. | Nick Baker (narrator) | |
| Highlands: Scotland's Wild Heart | 2016 | A four-part series providing a portrait of life in the Scottish Highlands, following the wildlife and people of Scotland's Wild Heart. | Ewan McGregor (narrator) | |
| Nature's Epic Journeys | 2016 | Series follows iconic animals on three of the world's most breathtaking wildlife adventures. Each must overcome immense obstacles, from challenging terrain to hungry predators and sheer physical exhaustion. Also known as Nature's Great Migrations for international release, and Nature's Great Race for PBS release. | Liz Bonnin (presenter) | |
| Forces of Nature | 2016 | Professor Brian Cox combines some of the most spectacular sights on Earth with our deepest understanding of the universe to reveal how the planet's beauty is created by just a handful of forces. | Brian Cox (presenter) | |
| New Zealand: Earth's Mythical Islands | 2016 | A three-part series which explores New Zealand's wildlife that has resulted from 80 million years of isolation. Also known as Wild New Zealand for international release. | Sam Neill (narrator) | |
| Earth's Seasonal Secrets | 2016 | Series follows how each of the four seasons transforms to the world. Also known as Earth's Great Seasons for international release. | Andrew Scott (narrator) | |
| Ingenious Animals | 2016 | A team of wildlife experts travel the globe in search of the most surprising animal stories and reveal how and why animals do such remarkable things. | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall (presenter), Patrick Aryee (presenter), Giles Clark (presenter), Lucy Cooke (presenter) | |
| Animal Babies | 2016 | Three-part series follows young animals as they take their first steps and face their earliest challenges. | Gordon Buchanan (narrator) | |
| Dangerous Earth | 2016 | A series covering six of the most iconic natural phenomena on Earth--avalanches, volcanoes, lightning, auroras, tornadoes, and icebergs. | Helen Czerski (presenter) | |
| Elephant Family & Me | 2016 | Gordon Buchanan follows a herd of elephants in the Kenyan wilderness. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| World's Sneakiest Animals | 2016 | A series covering cheating behavior in animals, and how simple tricks have evolved into complex deceptions. Also known as Natural Born Hustlers for international and PBS release. | Chris Packham (presenter) | |
| Galápagos | 2017 | A series following a scientific expedition across the Galápagos Islands to carry out research that will help protect the islands and their inhabitants. Also known as Mission Galapagos for international release. | Liz Bonnin (narrator/presenter, UK version), Mark Bonnar (narrator, International version) | |
| Mexico: Earth's Festival of Life | 2017 | Three-part series which explores the wildlife, landscape, and culture in three distinct worlds within Mexico - mountain ranges, tropical forests and deserts. Also known as Wild Mexico for international release, and Wonders of Mexico for PBS release. | Eliud Gabriel Porra (narrator) | |
| Mountain: Life at the Extreme | 2017 | Three-part series about the animals and people who make a home on the mountain ranges of the Rockies, Himalayas, and Andes. Also known as Mountains: Life Above the Clouds for international release, and Kingdoms of the Sky for PBS release. | Dougie Henshall (narrator) | |
| Blue Planet II | 2017 | From the intense heat of the tropics to the frozen poles, from the coastlines to the darkest parts of the ocean, the series explores different marine worlds and the challenges they present for the creatures that live there. | David Attenborough (narrator/presenter) | |
| Thailand: Earth's Tropical Paradise | 2017 | Three-part series exploring the tropical wilderness of Thailand. Also known as Wild Thailand for international release. | Sophie Okonedo (narrator) | |
| Yellowstone: Wildest Winter to Blazing Summer | 2017 | Covers a year in Yellowstone National Park, and how wildlife adapts to the harsh seasonal changes. Also known as The Great American Thaw for international release, and Great Yellowstone Thaw for PBS release. | Kate Humble (presenter) and Patrick Aryee (presenter) | |
| Birds of Paradise: The Ultimate Quest | 2017 | Frank Gardner and Benedict Allen journey through Papua New Guinea. Gardner is pursuing a lifelong dream to see birds of paradise, while Allen is returning to the tribe he abandoned 30 years ago. | Frank Gardner (presenter), Benedict Allen (presenter) | |
| Down the Mighty River | 2017 | Steve Backshall sets out to explore the Baliem River in the island of New Guinea. Also known as Steve Backshall's Extreme River Challenge for international release. | Steve Backshall (presenter) | |
| Wild Ireland: The Edge of the World | 2017 | The wildlife and landscapes of coastal Ireland. Also known as Ireland's Wild Coast for PBS release. | Colin Stafford Johnson (presenter) | |
| Wild Alaska Live | 2017 | A live-broadcast series about the congregation of wildlife in Alaska for the bountiful summer season. | Steve Backshall (presenter), Liz Bonnin (presenter), Matt Baker (presenter) | |
| Wild UK | 2017 | A live-broadcast series exploring the wilderness of the UK and the wildlife that thrives there. This is a companion program to Wild Alaska Live. | Colin Stafford Johnson (presenter), Lucy Cooke (presenter) | |
| Tribes, Predators & Me | 2017 | Gordon Buchanan follows the world's most remote tribes to observe how they live alongside nature's most deadly predators. Also known as Tribes, Animals & Me for international release. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Expedition Volcano | 2017 | Chris Jackson, Xand Van Tulleken and Aldo Kane take part in an extraordinary expedition to Nyiragongo. | Xand van Tulleken (presenter), Christopher Jackson (presenter) | |
| Dynasties | 2018 | Series focuses on five animals, where each animal battles against the odds for the future of their families. | David Attenborough (narrator/presenter) | |
| Big Cats | 2018 | Three-part series uncovering the secret lives of big cats. Also known as Super Cats for PBS release. | Bertie Carvel (narrator) | |
| Animals with Cameras | 2018, 2021 | Wildlife cameraman Gordon Buchanan joins with scientists to put cameras on animals. Together, they make extraordinary discoveries about the lives of some of the planet's most fascinating species. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Big Cats About the House | 2018 | A three-part series follows Giles Clark - where he embarks with the life at the Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent. | Andrew Lincoln (narrator), Giles Clark (participant) | |
| Animals Behaving Badly | 2018 | A series about the behaviours and methods animals use to find a mate and raise a family. Also known as Natural Born Rebels for international and PBS release. | Liz Bonnin (presenter) | |
| The Lakes with Paul Rose | 2018 | A four-part series about the mountains of The Lake District, and the people who live and work there. | Paul Rose (presenter) | |
| Extraordinary Rituals | 2018 | A series which explores the spectacular and emotional world of rituals. Also known as Rituals for international release. | Simon Reeve (narrator, UK version), Matthew Gravelle (narrator, International version) | |
| Grizzly Bear Cubs & Me | 2018 | Two-part programme where Gordon Buchanan helps to rehabilitate orphaned baby grizzly bears into the Russian wilderness. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Cities: Nature's New Wild | 2018 - 2019 | Three-part programme which explores the ways wildlife is adapting to life in the world's cities. Also known as Wild Metropolis for international and PBS release. | Daniel Kaluuya (narrator) | |
| Earth's Great Rivers | 2019 | Three-part series about the wildlife, landscapes, and humans of the Amazon, Mississippi and Nile rivers. Also known as Rivers of Life for PBS release. | David Oyelowo (narrator) | |
| Australia: Earth's Magical Kingdom | 2019 | Three-part series about Australian wildlife. | Barry Humphries (narrator) | |
| Blue Planet Live | 2019 | A live-broadcast celebration of marine life around the globe, as well as explorations of the health of Earth's oceans. Also known as Blue Planet Revisited for international release. | Chris Packham, Steve Backshall, Liz Bonnin (presenters) | |
| Blue Planet UK | 2019 | A live-broadcast series about marine life from all corners of the UK, and about the health of Earth's oceans. This is a companion program to Blue Planet Live. | Chris Packham, Gillian Burke, Steve Brown (presenters) | |
| Wales: Land of the Wild | 2019 | Series about Wales's wildlife and landscapes. | Michael Sheen (narrator) | |
| Earth From Space | 2019 | In this four-part series, cameras in space tell stories of life on our planet from a brand new perspective, revealing new discoveries, incredible colours and patterns, and just how fast it is changing. Also known as Life From Above for PBS release. | Chiwetel Ejiofor (narrator) | |
| Undiscovered Worlds | 2019 | Four-part series, Steve Backshall ventures into uncharted territory. | Steve Backshall (presenter) | |
| Big Animal Surgery | 2019 | A series about medical procedures performed on some of the biggest animals in the world. | Liz Bonnin (presenter) | |
| Animal Babies: First Year on Earth | 2019 | A three part series looking at how baby animals cope when they are young, and how they develop to reach key milestones. | Wunmi Mosaku (narrator), Sue Gibson (presenter), Vianet Djenguet (presenter), Colin Stafford-Johnson (presenter) | |
| Animals at Play | 2019 | A series about animal "playtime" behaviour. | Gordon Buchanan (narrator) | |
| Seven Worlds, One Planet | 2019 | A series which focuses on the climates, wildlife, and spectacles of each of Earth's seven continents. | Sir David Attenborough (narrator) | |
| Secrets of Skin | 2019 | A six-part series about vertebrate skin, specifically covering adaptability, movement, protection, communication, defence, and sensory perception. | Ben Garrod (presenter) | |
| Snow Cats & Me | 2019 | Rescue and rehabilitation of lynx from the fur and pet trades back to into the wild. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Earth's Tropical Islands | 2020 | Exploring some of the world's most isolated tropical islands. | David Harewood (narrator) | |
| Baby Chimp Rescue | 2020 | A three-part series documenting the efforts of a rescue center for chimpanzees in Liberia. | Ben Garrod (presenter) | |
| Blue Planet Revisited | 2020 | A 2-part series focusing on threatened ecosystems in the oceans—specifically sharks in the Bahamas, and Australia's Great Barrier Reef. | Steve Backshall (presenter), Liz Bonnin (presenter) | |
| Primates | 2020 | A three-part documentary series about primates, and the strategies monkeys, apes and lemurs utilize to survive. | Chris Packham (narrator) | |
| A Wild Year | 2020 | A yearlong study of the nature of three regions of the British countryside—the Pembrokeshire coast, the fens of East Anglia, the North York Moors. | Toby Jones (narrator) | |
| Bears About the House | 2020 | Conservationist Giles Clark travels to Laos to help take care of care of Sun and Moon bear cubs. | Giles Clark (presenter), Andrew Lincoln (narrator) | |
| Iolo: The Last Wilderness of Wales | 2020 | Iolo Williams tracks wildlife in the Cambrian Mountains. | Iolo Williams (presenter) | |
| Mindful Escapes: Breathe, Release, Restore | 2020 | A four part series featuring relaxing sequences of the natural world. | Andy Puddicombe (Narrator) | |
| Stormborn | 2020 | A three-part series looking at animals which live their lives in tough Arctic conditions. | Ewan McGregor (narrator) | |
| Waterhole: Africa's Animal Oasis | 2020 | A three-part series exploring the oases in the Mwiba Wildlife Reserve in Tanzania where elephants, lions, leopards and hundreds of other species meet and compete for water. | Chris Packham (presenter), Ella Al-Shamahi (presenter) | |
| Attenborough's Life in Colour | 2021 | A two-part programme about the vital role colour plays in the daily lives of many species. | David Attenborough (narrator) | |
| Eden: Untamed Planet | 2021 | A six-part series focusing on isolated regions, largely undisturbed by human interference. | Helena Bonham Carter (narrator) | |
| Cheetah Family & Me | 2021 | Gordon Buchanan gets close to wild cheetah in the Kalahari, experiencing first hand the dangers these big cats face. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | |
| Chris Packham's Animal Einsteins | 2021 | A series about animal intelligence, and the strategies that give certain species the upper hand. | Chris Packham (presenter) | |
| Our Wild Adventures | 2021 | An 8-part retrospective through the natural history archives with some of the BBC's favourite wildlife presenters, as they share a few of their most memorable wild adventures. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter), Sue Gibson (presenter), Steve Backshall (presenter), Vianet Djenguet (presenter), Chris Packham (presenter), Liz Bonnin (presenter), Colin Stafford-Johnson (presenter), George McGavin (presenter) | |
| Iolo's Pembrokeshire | 2021 | Iolo Williams presents the "secret spots" and wildlife of Pembrokeshire. | Iolo Williams (presenter) | |
| Chris and Meg's Wild Summer | 2021 | Wildlife presenters Chris Packham and stepdaughter Megan McCubbin go on a road trip featuring animal encounters, landscapes and time to reflect on their relationship. | Chris Packham (presenter), Megan McCubbin (presenter) | |
| The Earthshot Prize | 2021 | Prince William and Sir David Attenborough explore simple, ambitious ideas to repair our planet - solutions offering hope for nature and humanity. | Prince William (presenter), David Attenborough (narrator) | |
| Restoring the Earth: The Age of Nature | 2021 | Documentary series that explores humanity's relationship with the natural world and our growing understanding of how nature works. | Anna Friel (narrator) | |
| The Green Planet | 2022 | A 5-part documentary series exploring plants and their relationship with animals, humans, and the environment. | David Attenborough (narrator/presenter) | |
| Prehistoric Planet | 2022, 2023 | A 5-part documentary series following dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals recreated with computer-generated imagery, living around the globe in the Late Cretaceous period 66 million years ago (Maastrichtian), just before the dinosaurs' extinction. | David Attenborough (narrator/presenter) | |
| Dynasties II | 2022 | A 6-part series which delves into the lives of animals as they fight for their families against the odds. Sequel to 2018's Dynasties. | David Attenborough (presenter/narrator | |
| Frozen Planet II | 2022 | Sir David Attenborough explores a planet on the brink of major change as nature finds a way to survive and thrive in the frozen reaches of the planet. Sequel to 2011's Frozen Planet. | David Attenborough (presenter/narrator) | |
| Earth's Great Rivers II | 2022 | Three-part series about the wildlife, landscapes, and humans of the Danube, Yukon, and Zambezi rivers. Sequel to 2019's Earth's Great Rivers. | ||
| Dogs in the Wild: Meet the Family | 2022 | A series about canines, and how they have adapted to a wide variety of Earth's climates. | Chris Packham (narrator) | |
| Earth | 2023 | The story of our home planet. | Chris Packham (presenter) | |
| Planet Earth III | 2023 | Sequel to Planet Earth and Planet Earth II | David Attenborough (narrator) | |
| Wild Scandinavia | 2023 | Three-part series exploring the Scandinavian wilderness, featuring lynx, orcas, puffins and wolves, among other species. | Rebecca Ferguson (narrator) | |
| Mammals | 2024 | Twenty years after The Life of Mammals, David Attenborough revisits how mammals have conquered the Earth. | David Attenborough (narrator) | |
| Asia | 2024 | The BBC's first natural history series devoted to the continent of Asia. | David Attenborough (narrator) |
Single-running television productions
edit| Series Title | Year(s) Broadcast | Subject | Contributors | DVD Release[a] | Video Download[b] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Oddie's Top Ten Birds | 2007 | Bill Oddie counts down the UK's ten most beloved and most villainous birds in a definitive, light-hearted guide to our feathered friends and foes. Bill's poll is based on the thousands of letters he has received over the years from members of the public. | Bill Oddie (presenter) | No | No |
| Wild Swimming with Alice Roberts | 2010 | Alice Roberts swims in cavernous plunge pools, languid rivers and underground lakes to examine the passion for wild water swimming, following the classic swimming text Waterlog. | Alice Roberts (presenter) | No | No |
| [Woolly Mammoth: Secrets from the Ice] | 2012 | Professor Alice Roberts reveals the natural history of the most famous of ice age animals - the woolly mammoth. Also known as Ice Age Giants: Woolly Mammoths: Secrets from the Ice for North America release. | Alice Roberts (presenter) | Yes | No |
| Miniature Britain | 2012 | Dr. George McGavin travels around Britain investigating how microscopic creatures go about their business and how they have an impact on their larger environment. | George McGavin (narrator/presenter) | ||
| Planet Ant: Life Inside the Colony | 2013 | A colony of ants is transported into a controlled environment so that they can be examined. All aspects of their lives are looked at in detail as it is revealed how ants are able to thrive by working together. | George McGavin (narrator/presenter) | ||
| The Incredible Story of the Monarch Butterfly: Four Wings and a Prayer | 2013 | A programme looking at the migration patterns of the Monarch Butterfly and what can be done to help it to thrive. | Kristin Scott Thomas | ||
| Ultimate Swarms | 2013 | Dr. George McGavin looks at how and why animals swarm together. | George McGavin (narrator/presenter) | ||
| Spider House | 2014 | Alice Roberts looks at the complex lives of spiders and tries to understand why so many people have a fear of them. In a bid to cure her own fear, she spends a night in a house full of spiders. | Alice Roberts (presenter) | ||
| The Magic of Mushrooms | 2014 | Richard Fortey investigates the secret world of mushrooms and discovers how crucial they are to eco systems, as well as how they can help humans. | Richard Fortey (Presenter) | ||
| Nature's Boldest Thieves | 2015 | A programme investigating how animals will steal food in order to survive. | Lucy Cooke (narrator/presenter) | No | No |
| Attenborough's Paradise Birds | 2015 | Sir David Attenborough uncovers the remarkable story of how these 'birds from paradise' have captivated explorers, naturalists, artists, film-makers and even royalty. He explores the myths surrounding their discovery 500 years ago, the latest extraordinary behaviour captured on camera, and reveals the scientific truth behind their beauty. | David Attenborough (narrator/presenter) | No | No |
| Super Cute Animals | 2015 | Gordon Buchanan looks at why humans find some animals to be cute and looks at how their features help them to survive. | Gordon Buchanan (narrator/presenter) | No | No |
| Dawn Chorus: The Sounds of Spring | 2015 | Uninterrupted and unspoiled by voiceover or music, the birdsong of sunrise in all its glory. Three different habitats, Britain's woodland, heathland and parkland, burst into song. | N/A | No | No |
| Animals Unexpected | 2015 | A programme investigating how animals can adapt to new environments and thrive as invasive species. | Lucy Cooke | No | No |
| Oak Tree: Nature's Greatest Survivor | 2015 | A two-part series where George McGavin investigates the life of an oak tree. He looks at how it changes through the seasons and how it supports smaller life forms. | George McGavin | No | No |
| Legends of the Deep: Deep Sea Sharks | 2015 | Documentary which follows a Japanese-led team of scientists as they attempt to shed light on the mysterious world of deep sea sharks, using midget submarines to film them. | David Attenborough (narrator) | No | No |
| The Secret Life of Midges | 2015 | Dr. James Logan of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine looks at how best to cope with the Scottish midge and whether some people naturally repel them. | James Logan (presenter) | No | No |
| Snow Chick - A Penguin's Tale | 2015 | Story follows of an emperor penguin chick's first precarious months of life as it grows up in the world's most extreme nursery. | Kate Winslet (narrator) | Yes[6][7] | No |
| Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur | 2016 | David Attenborough follows the excavation of bone remains of a gigantic dinosaur in southern Argentina. Also known as Raising the Dinosaur Giant - as a part of Nature series for PBS release. | David Attenborough (writer and presenter) | No | Yes[8][9] |
| Koko: The Gorilla who Talks to People | 2016 | A programme looking at Koko, a gorilla who has learned to communicate with people. | Bertie Carvel (narrator), Penny Patterson | Yes[10] | |
| The Great Butterfly Adventure: Africa to Britain with the Painted Lady | 2016 | A programme following the migration of the Painted Lady as it makes its way from Africa to Britain. Along the way, myths about the butterfly are investigated and more is discovered about their lifestyles. | Martha Kearney (presenter), Dr. James Logan (presenter) | ||
| Life That Glows | 2016 | David Attenborough exploring life of bioluminescent organisms, that is, capable of creating light. | David Attenborough (presenter) | Yes[11] | No |
| Wild Tales from the Village | 2016 | A year in the life of an extraordinary village, hidden away in the French countryside, showing the parallel world of tiny creatures that live side by side with unsuspecting humans. | Tcheky Karyo (narrator) | No | No |
| Life in the Snow | 2016 | Gordon Buchanan meets the animals who live in nature's winter wonderlands. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | No | No |
| Life in Polar Bear Town with Gordon Buchanan | 2016 | Gordon Buchanan travels to the town of Churchill on the shores of Canada's Hudson Bay, where packs of polar bears gather each autumn for their winter hunt. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | No | No |
| The Lake District: A Wild Year | 2017 | For the wildlife and people who live amongst the epic scenery of the Lake District, life is one of continuous change. Cutting-edge camera techniques give a new and unique perspective on a turbulent year in the life of England's largest national park. | Bernard Cribbins (narrator) | No | No |
| The British Garden: Life and Death on Your Lawn | 2017 | Chris Packham investigates what makes a garden an ideal environment for wildlife. | Chris Packham | ||
| Super Small Animals | 2017 | Biologist Patrick Aryee explores the fascinating secrets behind what makes small animals successful, from a little lemur to a tiny armadillo. | Patrick Aryee (presenter) | No | No |
| Attenborough and the Giant Elephant | 2017 | David Attenborough investigates the remarkable life and death of Jumbo the elephant - one of the largest African elephant and many believed to be the biggest in the world. | David Attenborough (writer and presenter) | No | No |
| Winter's Weirdest Events | 2017 | Chris Packham embarks on a fascinating journey to explain some of winter's weirdest events. | Chris Packham (presenter) | No | No |
| Reindeer Family and Me | 2017 | Gordon Buchanan travels to the frozen north, deep inside the Arctic Circle, to meet the ancient Sámi people and the animals they hold so close - reindeer. | Gordon Buchanan (presenter) | Yes | No |
| Snow Bears | 2017 | Story following a polar bear and her cubs. | Kate Winslet | ||
| Attenborough and the Sea Dragon | 2018 | David Attenborough explores the case of a newly discovered ichthyosaur - a giant sea dragon that ruled the oceans when the dinosaurs ruled the land. | David Attenborough (writer and presenter) | No | Yes[12][13] |
| South Korea: Earth's Hidden Wilderness | 2018 | Documentary which explores the wilderness of South Korea. Also known as Wild Korea for international release. | Arthur Lee (narrator) | No | No |
| Amazon Explorers - Into the Peak of Mist | 2018 | A pioneering team of tropical scientists in search of new creatures and plants gets rare access to Brazil's highest and most isolated mountain, the Pico da Neblina. | João Fellet (presenter) | No | No |
| Nature's Turtle Nursery: Secrets from the Nest | 2018 | Nature documentary featuring the extraordinary natural history event of an arribada - the mass nesting phenomenon of olive ridley sea turtles in Costa Rica. | George McGavin (presenter) | No | No |
| Wonders of the Great Barrier Reef | 2018 | Iolo Williams visits the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. While there, he investigates the wildlife and investigates if the reef can survive global warming. | Iolo Williams (narrator/presenter) | ||
| Drowning in Plastic | 2018 | Wildlife biologist Liz Bonnin investigates the scale of the plastic crisis in the ocean, and what it means for the future of all life on our planet. | Liz Bonnin (narrator/presenter) | No | No |
| Spy in the Snow | 2018 | Animatronic spy creatures infiltrate the animal world to reveal how living in the snow tests animals to the limit. | David Tennant (narrator) | No | No |
| The Snow Wolf: A Winter's Tale | 2018 | Story following a female wolf as she leaves her pack and travels across The Alps. | Emilia Fox (narrator) | No | No |
| New Forest: A Year in the Wild Wood | 2019 | Author and environmentalist Peter Owen-Jones spends an enchanting year across all four seasons in the New Forest exploring its wildlife, landscapes and an ancient way of life. | Peter Owen-Jones (presenter) | No | No |
| Wild Shetland - Scotland's Viking Frontier | 2019 | Ewan McGregor narrates a captivating portrait of wild Shetland and traces the course of a breeding season as the animals on these remote islands battle for survival. | Ewan McGregor (narrator) | No | No |
| Wild Way of the Vikings | 2019 | Ewan McGregor narrates a unique nature special looking at the wildlife of the North Atlantic through the eyes of the Vikings. Combining historical re-enactment with jaw-dropping natural history sequences, Wild Way of the Vikings features vast herds of reindeer, huge gannet colonies, cute Arctic foxes, seal-hunting orca, mystical ravens and giant walruses. | Ewan McGregor (narrator) | No | No |
| The River - A Year in the Life of the Tay | 2019 | Author Helen Macdonald follows Britain's greatest river over four seasons, encountering salmon, beavers and the microscopic creatures helping to answer science's biggest questions. | Helen Macdonald (presenter) | No | No |
| Takaya: Lone Wolf | 2019 | Programme following a lone wolf spotted in British Columbia. | Cheryl Alexander | ||
| Ocean Autopsy: The Secret Story of Our Seas | 2020 | A programme looking at the health of the North Sea. George McGavin looks at how plastic affects the lives of sea creatures, while Helen Czerski investigates how human activity is changing the oceans. | George McGavin (presenter), Helen Czerski (presenter) | ||
| Deep Ocean: Giants of the Antarctic Deep | 2020 | Documentary about the first scientific research undertaken in a submersible in the Antarctic that reveals the extraordinary forms of life that thrive in the Southern Ocean. | David Attenborough (narrator) | No | Yes[14] |
| The Hidden Wilds of the Motorway | 2020 | Author and naturalist Helen Macdonald embarks on a clockwise loop around the M25 to discover if there is a wild side to Britain's busiest road. | Helen Macdonald (presenter) | No | No |
| Planet Earth: A Celebration | 2020 | The BBC Natural History Unit has brought together the most astounding stories from the Bafta-winning Planet Earth II and Blue Planet II to create the ultimate escape. The journey is accompanied by a thrilling new musical score, created by renowned composers Hans Zimmer and Jacob Shea, performed by the BBC Concert Orchestra and featuring Mercury Prize winner Dave on the piano. | David Attenborough (narrator) | No | No |
| Inside the Bat Cave | 2020 | A remarkable journey into the secret world of bats. Cutting-edge night-vision cameras follow the hidden life of a greater horseshoe bat roost for four months. | Lucy Cooke (presenter) | No | No |
| Penguins: Meet the Family | 2020 | A unique celebration of one of Earth's most iconic birds, featuring all 18 species in footage from New Zealand, Cape Town, the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica. | Liz Bonnin (narrator) | No | No |
| Chris Packham: The Walk That Made Me | 2021 | Chris Packham explores his past as he walks a familiar path in the Hampshire countryside. Chris cut his teeth as a naturalist in this beautiful corner of England. | Chris Packham (presenter) | No | No |
| Attenborough's Wonder of Song | 2022 | Sir David Attenborough chooses his favourite recordings from the natural world that have revolutionised our understanding of song. | David Attenborough (presenter) | ||
| Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History | 2022 | Stephen Fry embarks on a fascinating global journey to discover the stories behind some of the world’s most fantastic beasts. | Stephen Fry (presenter) | ||
| Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster | 2024 | A fossil of a giant prehistoric Jurassic predator is discovered and David Attenborough discusses it. | David Attenborough (presenter) |
Long-running television productions
edit| Series Title | Year(s) Broadcast | Subject | Contributors | DVD Release[a] | Video Download[b] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zoo Quest | 1954-1963 | David Attenborough travels to exotic locations in a bid to find rare and unusual animals. | David Attenborough | ||
| Look | 1955–1969 | Weekly magazine show | Peter Scott (introduced by), Desmond Hawkins (producer), Tony Soper (producer) and Jeffery Boswall (producer) | No | No |
| On Safari | 1957–1965 | Filming animals in East Africa | Armand and Michaela Denis (presenter) | No | No |
| Undersea World of Adventure | 1958–1960 | Sea life | Hans and Lotte Hass (presenter) and Tony Soper (producer) | No | No |
| Animal Magic | 1962–1983 | Weekly magazine show for children | Johnny Morris (presenter) | No | No |
| Adventure | 1961–1965 | David Attenborough travel documentary. | David Attenborough (presenter) | No | No |
| Private Lives | 1967–1970 | Series on individual species including kingfisher, cuckoo and fox | Jeffery Boswall (producer) | No | No |
| The World About Us | 1967–1983 | Weekly blue-chip documentary strand featuring NHU content | Various | No | No |
| Wildlife on One | 1977–2005 | Weekly series profiling different animals | David Attenborough (narrator) | No | No |
| Natural World | 1983–present | Weekly blue-chip documentary strand | Various | Yes[15][16][17] [18][19][20][21] [22][23][24] |
No |
| The Really Wild Show | 1986–2006 | Weekly magazine show for children | Terry Nutkins (presenter), Chris Packham (presenter), Michaela Strachan (presenter) and others | No | No |
| The Wildlife Specials | 1995–2007 | One-off profiles of individual species | David Attenborough (narrator) | Yes | No |
| Big Cat Diary Big Cat Week Big Cat Live |
1996–2008 | Family lives of the Masai Mara's lions, leopards and cheetahs | Jonathan Scott (presenter), Simon King (presenter) and Saba Douglas-Hamilton (presenter) and others | Yes | No |
| Birding with Bill Oddie | 1997–2000 | Birdwatching in the UK and abroad | Bill Oddie (presenter) | No | No |
| Bill Oddie Goes Wild | 2001–2003 | Watching British wildlife | Bill Oddie (presenter) | No | No |
| Wild | 2001–2009 | Series of wildlife and nature documentaries with access to never-before-seen footage.[25] | Various | No | No |
| Wild Battlefields | 2002–2003 | How lions, polar bears, tiger sharks and wolves hunt their prey | Sanjeev Bhaskar (narrator) | No | No |
| Abyss Amazon Abyss Pacific Abyss |
2002–2008 | Expeditions exploring the deep oceans, the Amazon River and the seas of Micronesia | Kate Humble (presenter) and Mike deGruy (presenter) | No | No |
| Bill Oddie's How to Watch Wildlife | 2005–2006 | Watching British wildlife | Bill Oddie (presenter) | Yes | No |
| Coast | 2005–2013 | Journeying around Britain's coastline (additional material by the NHU) | Nicholas Crane (presenter) and Neil Oliver (presenter) | Yes | No |
| Springwatch Autumnwatch Winterwatch |
2005–present | Observing British wildlife in spring, autumn and winter | Bill Oddie (presenter), Kate Humble (presenter), Simon King (presenter), Chris Packham (presenter), Martin Hughes-Games (presenter), Michaela Strachan (presenter) and others | No | No |
| Lost Land of the Jaguar Lost Land of the Volcano Lost Land of the Tiger |
2008–2010 | An expedition team explores various things | Steve Backshall (presenter), Gordon Buchanan (presenter), Justine Evans (presenter) and George McGavin (presenter) | Yes | No |
| Deadly 60 | 2009–present | Children's series tracking the world's deadliest animals | Steve Backshall (presenter) | Yes | No |
| Nature's Weirdest Events | 2012-2017 | Investigations into strange happenings in the natural world | Chris Packham (presenter) | Yes[26][c] | Yes[27][c] |
| David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities | 2013-2017 | David Attenborough looks at some of the strange behaviours and appearances in the animal kingdom and explains how they came to be and what purposes they have. | David Attenborough (presenter) | Yes[28][29][30] | Yes[31] |
Feature film productions
edit| Series Title | Year(s) Broadcast | Subject | Contributors | DVD Release[a] | Video Download[b] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Blue | 2003 | Feature-length version of The Blue Planet TV series. | Pierce Brosnan (narrator), Alastair Fothergill (director) | Yes | No |
| Earth | 2007 | Feature-length version of the Planet Earth TV series. | James Earl Jones (narrator), Alastair Fothergill (director), Mark Linfield (director) | Yes | No |
| The Meerkats | 2008 | Follows the daily struggles for survival of a meerkat clan in the Kalahari Desert. | Paul Newman (narrator), James Honeyborne (director) | Yes | No |
| One Life | 2011 | Feature-length version of the Life TV series. | Daniel Craig (narrator), Michael Gunton (director), Martha Holmes (director) | Yes | No |
| Wings | 2014 | Feature-length version of the Earthflight TV series. | David Tennant (narrator) | Yes | No |
| Tiny Giants | 2014 | Feature-length version of the Hidden Kingdoms TV series. | Stephen Fry (narrator), Michael Gunton (producer), Mark Brownlow (producer & director) | Yes | No |
| Enchanted Kingdom | 2014 | Follows on a spell-binding journey through seven realms of Africa to reveal a natural world stranger, more magical, and more mystical than anything that people might imagine. | Idris Elba (narrator), Patrick Morris (director), Neil Nightingale (producer & director) | Yes | No |
| Wild Africa | 2015 | Follows with a spectacular trip through the most varied regions of the African continent: which gives a striking account of the impact of water on wild Africa and its animals. | Helena Bonham Carter (narrator), Patrick Morris (director), Mike Slee (director), Neil Nightingale (producer & director) | Yes | No |
| Earthflight | 2016 | Film follows with an incredible flight across the world on the wings of birds. (not to be confused with the TV series Earthflight) | Cate Blanchett (narrator) | No | No |
| Incredible Predators | 2016 | Feature-length version of The Hunt TV series. | Alastair Fothergill (director) | No | No |
| Earth: One Amazing Day | 2017 | Feature-length (1h 35m) version of the Planet Earth II TV series. | Robert Redford (narrator), Peter Webber (director), Lixin Fan (director), Richard Dale (director) | Yes | No |
| Oceans: Our Blue Planet | 2018 | Feature-length (40m) version of Blue Planet II. Embark on a global odyssey to discover the largest and least explored habitat on earth. New ocean science and technology has allowed us to go further into the unknown than we ever thought possible. | Kate Winslet (narrator), Mark Brownlow & Rachel Butler (directors) | Yes | No |
| Cuba: Journey to the Heart of the Caribbean | 2019 | Peter H. Chang (director) | |||
| The Year Earth Changed | 2021 | David Attenborough (narrator), Tom Beard (director) | |||
| Antarctica: Into The Unknown | 2021 | Benedict Cumberbatch (narrator), Fredi Davas (director) | |||
| Arctic: Our Frozen Planet | 2023 | Benedict Cumberbatch (narrator), Rachel Scott (director) |
See also
edit- Nature documentary
- BBC Atlas of the Natural World, a 2006-07 DVD compilation series for North America
Notes
editReferences
edit- ^ Fraser, Fiona (16 September 2002). "BBC and Discovery explore Wild New World". C21Media. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ "BBC airs Mammoth task". Broadcast. 25 September 2002. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ "RTS Craft and Design Winners 2003". Royal Television Society. 24 January 2011. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ Roberts, Alice (2009). The Incredible Human Journey. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7475-9839-8.
- ^ "Dr Alice Roberts". BBC. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
- ^ "Snow Chick: A Penguin's Tale (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk.
- ^ "Snow Chick: A Penguin's Tale (Blu-ray)". Amazon.co.uk.
- ^ "Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur". iTunes Store UK. 24 January 2016.
- ^ "Attenborough and the Giant Dinosaur (Amazon Prime Video)". Amazon.co.uk.
- ^ "Koko: The Gorilla Who Talks (Amazon Prime Video)". Amazon.
- ^ "David Attenborough - Life That Glows". Amazon.co.uk.
- ^ "Attenborough and the Sea Dragon". iTunes Store UK. 8 January 2018.
- ^ "Attenborough and the Sea Dragon (Amazon Prime Video)". Amazon.co.uk.
- ^ "Deep Ocean: Giants of the Antarctic Deep (BBC iPlayer)". bbc.co.uk.
- ^ "Natural World - On The Trail Of Tarka (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk.
- ^ "Natural World - The Bear Man Of Kamchatka (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk. 18 August 2008.
- ^ "Natural World - 2007 BBC Collection (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk.
- ^ "Natural World - Snow Leopard (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk.
- ^ "Natural World - Earth Pilgrim (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk. 18 August 2008.
- ^ "Natural World: Badgers - Secrets of the Sett (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk. 18 August 2008.
- ^ "Natural World: Lobo - The Wolf that Changed America (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk. 18 August 2008.
- ^ "Natural World - 2010 BBC Collection (Blu-ray)". Amazon.co.uk. 15 March 2010.
- ^ "Natural World - The David Attenborough Collection (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk. 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Natural World - The David Attenborough Collection (Blu-ray)". Amazon.co.uk. 5 October 2015.
- ^ "Wild (episode guide)". BBC.co.uk.
- ^ "Nature's Weirdest Events Series 1 (DVD)". Amazon.co.uk. 12 March 2012.
- ^ "Nature's Weirdest Events (Series 1)". iTunes Store UK.
- ^ "David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities - Series 1 & 2 (DVD)". Amazon.
- ^ "David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities - Series 3 (DVD)". Amazon.
- ^ "David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities - Series 4 (DVD)". Amazon.
- ^ "David Attenborough's Natural Curiosities". Amazon Prime Video.
The material for this article has largely been drawn from the following sources:
- Parsons, C. (1982) True to Nature: 25 Years of Wildlife Filming with the BBC Natural History Unit. Patrick Stephens Limited. ISBN 0-85059-530-4
- BBC/2entertain Great Wildlife Moments DVD (2003). Bonus Feature: NHU Filmography
- BBC TV programmes website, searchable by title or category
- BBC Science & Nature: TV & Radio Follow-up (not updated since 2008)