BBC wildlife format Springwatch gets first int’l adaptation via Spain’s EITB 

The Spanish version will be titled Bizi Natura: Udaberria (Living Nature: Spring)

CONTENT EUROPE: Euskal Irrati Telebista (EITB), the public broadcaster operating in Spain’s Basque region, has greenlit an adaptation of the long-running British natural history series Springwatch.

The Spanish version, titled Bizi Natura: Udaberria (which translates to Living Nature: Spring), will consist of 15 episodes shot across the Basque Country and produced by BBC Studios-backed, Barcelona-based Brutal Media.

Sumi Connock, BBC Studios’ executive VP of creative network and formats, announced the adaptation today during a panel titled The Future of Formats: What Happens Next? at C21’s Content Europe in Lisbon.

Launched in 2005, the UK version features a blend of live broadcasting, expert insight and immersive wildlife coverage. This marks the first time the British series, which is produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit, has been adapted in an international market.

Of the 15 episodes commissioned by EITB, 13 will be live episodes that capture the “immediacy and unpredictability of the natural world,” while the first season will be bookended by one-hour primetime specials. Bizi Natura: Udaberria will premiere on EITB in late May.

BBC Studios said the Spanish iteration would spotlight the Basque region’s “diverse ecosystems, combining live wildlife moments, expert insights, and engaging storytelling designed to connect audiences with nature in an authentic and compelling way.”

“We are incredibly excited to see Springwatch travel beyond the UK for the very first time. It’s more than a format – it’s event television that has built a deep emotional connection with audiences year after year through its authenticity, expertise and sense of shared experience,” said Connock in a statement.

Brutal Media’s head of entertainment Isabel Duran added that the adaptation is “both authentic to the format and deeply rooted in the local environment.”