DAVID ATTENBOROUGH is to come to Ireland as part of a new series where he explores the wildlife of Great Britain and Ireland.
Wild Isles (working title) is a major new five part natural history series which will air on BBC One and iPlayer, that aims to do for the wildlife of Britain and Ireland what the Planet series have done for the wildlife of the world.
Presented by Sir David Attenborough and filmed over three years, the series uses the very latest technology to capture dramatic new behaviour, from battling butterflies to hunting sea eagles and killer whales - revealing a previously unseen wild side of the two countries.
Sir David says:
“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 four key habitats - woodlands, grasslands, freshwater and marine.
Britain and Ireland have some of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes on Earth, with more ancient oak trees than the rest of Europe put together and sixty percent of the world’s chalk streams flowing in southern England. The remaining flower meadows are a vital refuge for breeding birds and butterflies; and the coasts are home to internationally important numbers of seabirds.
Yet wildlife is increasingly fragmented and fragile, with this series explaining the challenges nature faces today, and what can be done to make the wild isles even wilder in the future.
Featured in the series will be gulls sterling fish from puffins in Northumberland, wild horse battling for access to females in Cambridgeshire and deer staff rutting in one of Ireland's wildest corners.
Aerial photography will reveal the beauty of the British and Irish 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 of our favourite 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.
Alastair Fothergill, Executive Producer, says:
“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.
