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BBC orders Blue Planet follow-up

UK pubcaster the BBC has commissioned over 50 hours of natural history programming, including a follow-up to its acclaimed Blue Planet series.

Oceans (6×60′), made for BBC1 by the organisation’s Natural History Unit (NHU), uses remotely-operated submarines and filming in 4K to uncover new species.

The new landmark series is accompanied by a string of other BBC1 natural history shows including One Planet (6×60’), from NHU, which explores mountains, deserts, islands and cities to explore how life operates in different ecosystems, and The Hunt (7×60′), produced by Bristol-based Silverback, which explores predators.

Also for BBC1 is Big Weather (3×60’), produced by Oxford Scientific Films and featuring Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond capturing extreme weather. Meanwhile, Dolphin: Spy In The Pod (2×60′), from John Downer Productions, is narrated by ex-Doctor Who actor David Tennant while communication-skewing Talk To The Animals (2×60’) comes from FremantleMedia’s Boundless.

A major new 12×60′ series for BBC2 devotes three episodes each to studies of Alaska, Japan, Patagonia, New Zealand. The shows are exec produced by James Honeyborne, who also exec produces Oceans.

None of the commissioned shows will be coproduced with Discovery Networks International (DNI), which the BBC has a copro agreement with until 2014.

The agreement was signed in 2010 and is not expected to be extended, but Julian Bellamy, creative director and head of production and development at DNI, recently said the two were still discussing options.

Elsewhere, Icon Productions are producing a one-off 90-minute special called Sleepover At The Zoo for digital-only channel BBC4, which explores animal’s sleeping patterns, while new shows for BBC2 include NHU-produced Tiger In The House (3×60’) and Kangaroo Dundee (6×30′).

Kim Shillinglaw, BBC head of commissioning for Natural History and Science, said: “By using new filming techniques, peerless research and great storytelling, the next few years are all about shows that will delight our UK and global audiences.”

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