BBC: Broadcaster announces three brand new wildlife documentary programmes - what we know so far

BBC has announced three ambitious new wildlife documentaries, each one expected to reveal a side to nature not commonly seen.

The new programmes will include a landmark new five part series called Hidden Planet; a new four-part series with wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin for BBC One and iPlayer; and new standalone film called Expedition Killer Whale for BBC Two and iPlayer. The announcement comes after a new economic impact report, which revealed BBC’s The Green Planet series boosted the UK economy by £7.4 million.

BBC Factual’s head of commissioning, Jack Bootle, said the three “thrilling” projects all demonstrated the breadth of Natural History programming on BBC. “I’m committed to ensuring that we remain the place where wildlife filmmakers do their best work,” he added.

Here’s what we know about the new, upcoming programmes so far:

Hidden Planet

Arriving two decades after the ground-breaking series Life in the Undergrowth, the BBC says Hidden Planet will dive into the secret world of the most successful and important animals on Earth - insects. The series will take advantage of huge leaps advances in camera technology since its predecessor, to reveal the beautiful and dramatic lives of insects “in unprecedented detail”, the broadcaster says.

Hidden Planet will be made up of five episodes filmed across the globe. BBC says it will showcase insects which are doting parents - that “care for their offspring and defend their families”, as well as others which are accomplished architects and sophisticated communicators. It will also delve into how insects transform and protect both the world we all live in.

Hidden Planet will eventually be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer. It will be co-produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit production and The Open University.

Hamza’s Hidden Wild Isles

In what appears to be a follow-up to the David Attenborough-narrated domestic wildlife showcase Wild Isles, this brand-new series will feature wildlife cameraman Hamza Yassin revealing wildlife gems from across the UK’s four countries.

The BBC says that in each programme, Yassin will find and film incredible species and spectacles hidden amongst both our urban and wilder landscapes. “From hidden nocturnal encounters, to perfectly camouflaged creatures hiding in plain sight, he will reveal that wildlife is everywhere; you just need to know where to look for it,” the broadcaster says.

Yassin will share his “trademark knowledge, warmth and enthusiasm” with viewers throughout the series, as well as tips and advice on how people can connect with nature - wherever they are. It will be a four-parter, with each episode following a different season.

The series is produced by Silverback Films, the team behind BBC One’s Wild Isles, and is co-produced by the National Trust and The Open University. It will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer.

Expedition Killer Whale

Unlike the other two series, this one will be a standalone film. The BBC describes it as a “fascinating deep dive into the complex hunting methods and communication techniques of the ocean’s greatest predator – the killer whale”.

In a remote corner of Antarctica, a group of killer whales capture their prey in the most extraordinary fashion. But now these whales are under threat. A team of experts travel to the whales’ hunting grounds in a notoriously remote location in Antarctica. It’s an unprecedented expedition – allowing unique access to these compelling animals. Using the latest technology, scientists and camera teams record everything they can about the killer whales, decoding the language they use to co-ordinate their hunting rituals and assessing their chances for survival in the modern world.

Expedition Killer Whale (1x60) was commissioned by Jack Bootle for BBC Two and iPlayer. It is a BBC Studios Natural History Unit production for BBC and PBS with The WNET Group. The Director /Producer is Vanessa Coates and the Executive Producer is Orla Doherty. Production Manger is Katie Cuss. The BBC Commissioning Editor is Sreya Biswas, Head of Natural History.