Obama, Attenborough head to BBC

BBC1 in the UK has ordered a one-off special in which US president Barack Obama interviews natural history legend Sir David Attenborough at the White House.

The show has been produced by Atlantic Productions and sees the duo discuss the future of the planet, as well as their passion for nature and what can be done to protect it.

It will air on BBC1 on 28 June at 22.30, and has also been picked up for BBC Earth’s branded channels in the Nordics, Poland, Turkey, Hungary and Romania.

The special, filmed last month on Attenborough’s 89th birthday, will also air on BBC America in the US and has already been sold by distributor BBC Worldwide to 25 countries across four continents.

Mark Reynolds, genre director for factual content at BBCWW, told C21 the “unique film” features topics “relevant to audiences worldwide, who will be given intimate access, with behind-the-scenes footage, to Attenborough’s visit to the White House.”

Charlotte Moore, controller of BBC1, added that it was “an absolute coup to see these two great men in conversation… talking about their shared personal passion for the future of the natural world and some of the critical issues facing our planet today.”

In related news, the UK government is reportedly preparing an initial review of the pubcaster’s operation as the organisation prepares to renew its royal charter, which sets out the remit of its operations.

The green paper will identify areas the government wants to explore, including the impact of the proposed BBC Studios and the role of commercial arm BBC Worldwide.