Disco, Beeb warm to each other for polar series

MIP NEWS: Discovery Channel has once again teamed up with the BBC for a new eight-part natural history series on Earth’s icy wilderness.

Frozen Planet is an eight-part blue-chip science series set to air in 2012, chronicling the eco-systems and animals of the Arctic and Antarctic.

The series will give viewers a close look at the power of the elements and the resilient animals that inhabit the poles, exposing animal behaviour never previously captured on camera, as well as filming unrecorded scenery, including the Russian Arctic, which has previously been closed to filmmakers.

John Ford, president and general manager of Discovery Channel, said: “Core to Discovery Channel’s mission is to educate viewers about the world around us and show them things that have never been seen before through new technologies.

“Frozen Planet will amaze viewers in its majesty and inform viewers about the Arctic and Antarctic as the climate changes and the plant and animal life has to evolve or perish.”

Each episode will be followed by three minutes of behind-the-scenes footage that will show viewers exactly how the filmmakers managed to secure the series’ standout images, while additional video material and in-depth information will be available on a complementary Frozen Planet website.

Other coproduction partners include Antena 3 (Spain), ZDF (Germany) and Skai (Greece).