Sir David Attenborough, 96, will present the tentatively-titled "Wild Isles," a new series for BBC One exploring the "extraordinary animal dramas and wildlife spectacles" across Ireland and Britain.
The new series will "aim to do for the wildlife of Britain and Ireland what the 'Planet' series have done for the wildlife of the world," BBC said in a statement.
Presented by Sir David Attenborough, co-produced by The Open University, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), and World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and filmed over three years, the series uses the very latest technology to capture dramatic new behavior, from battling butterflies to hunting sea eagles and killer whales - revealing a previously unseen wild side of the British Isles.
Attenborough said: “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.”
The five-part series will have an introductory episode, explaining why Britain and Ireland are globally important for nature, while the remaining four episodes will celebrate our isles’ four key habitats - woodlands, grasslands, freshwater, and marine.
Aerial photography will reveal the beauty of the Irish and British countryside, as it has never been seen before. Motion-controlled time-lapse photography will bring to life the story of the passing seasons; the latest low light cameras will uncover the secret nocturnal lives of many animals; and macro photography will reveal the miniature worlds of rock pools, ponds, and grasslands. The series will be shot at 4K resolution allowing for an ultra-high-definition television delivery.
Executive Producer Alastair 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”.
"Wild Isles" (working title), a 5x60’ series for BBC One and iPlayer, is made by Silverback Films, co-produced by The Open University, the RSPB, and WWF. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Science and Natural History. The Executive Producer is Alastair Fothergill and the Series Producer is Hilary Jeffkins. Banijay Rights handles distribution for the series.
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