Three major new nature series produced by the acclaimed BBC Studios Natural History Unit – the team responsible for hits such as Dynasties, The Green Planet and Frozen Planet II – are heading to iPlayer, BBC One and BBC Two.
Mammals
Full of new, never-before-seen behaviours, this series for BBC One and iPlayer offers fascinating insights into the most successful animal group in the world.
From the tiny Etruscan shrew to the giant blue whale, Mammals will reveal the secrets of their success, and how their winning design, incredible adaptability, unrivalled intelligence and unique sociability have all contributed to their remarkable rise.
Just 4% of today’s mammals are wild animals and many species face extinction. As well as giving BBC viewers an exciting new perspective on a remarkable group of animals, the series will also highlight many of the problems faced by mammals in today’s rapidly changing world.
Big Little Journeys
Big Little Journeys is a new three-part series for BBC Two and iPlayer following six tiny animals as they travel across rainforests, mountains and wetlands.
The cast of animals includes a family of endangered golden-headed lion tamarins in Brazil’s Atlantic rainforest, the peculiar Madagascan Labord’s chameleon with an extremely short life span of only six months, and in Taiwan, the rare Formosan pangolin – the world’s most trafficked animal.
Against the odds, these animals overcome huge obstacles, giant predators, and natural disasters in their quest for food, family and survival.
The series uses immersive camera systems, surveillance technology, and probe and borescope lenses that shrink the lens down to give a small animal’s view of the world, enabling the little heroes to be filmed in the same style as big animals as they embark upon their journeys in the wild.
Wild Scandinavia
Wild Scandinavia is a new three-part series for BBC Two and iPlayer and will immerse viewers in the realm of Norse Gods, of Odin and Thor. Each film explores a different captivating natural world – the hauntingly beautiful coast, the magical seasonal forests, and the volcanic and arctic extremes.
Narrated by Anglo-Swedish actor Rebecca Ferguson (Dune; Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation), surprising wildlife stories of lynx, puffins, orca and wolves, are told alongside the experiences of the extraordinary people living in and devoted to exploring this icy wilderness.
Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, said: “2022 was a brilliant year for Natural History on the BBC: Frozen Planet II became the highest rating factual show of the year, the daringly innovative Green Planet won a series of major awards, and Our Changing Planet spoke to millions of viewers about the impacts of climate change across the globe.
“Now, with Mammals, Big Little Journeys and Wild Scandinavia, the world-famous Natural History Unit continues to push at the boundaries of what’s possible in wildlife filmmaking. The arrival of game-changing technology combined with exciting new storytelling techniques means this genre has never felt more confident, creative and ambitious.
“I’m proud that the BBC continues to be the home of Natural History, and I know viewers are going to fall in love with these series as soon as they see them.”