Sir David Attenborough to present BBC Studios Natural History Unit's Mammals

Mammals are the most successful animal group on earth. Found on every continent and in every ocean, they’ve evolved to master almost every habitat on our planet. But how?

Twenty years after Life of Mammals, Attenborough revisits this extraordinary group of animals in a major new series for BBC One and iPlayer: Mammals. Full of new, never- before-seen behaviours, this series offers fascinating insights into the most successful animal group in the world. From the tiny Etruscan shrew to the giant blue whale, Mammals will reveal the secrets of their success, and how their winning design, incredible adaptability, unrivalled intelligence and unique sociability have all contributed to their remarkable rise.

By weight less than 6% of today’s mammals are wild animals and many species face extinction. As well as giving viewers an exciting new perspective on a remarkable group of animals, the series will also highlight many of the problems faced by mammals in today’s rapidly changing world.

Each episode explores a different environment; Dark, Cold, Heat, Water, Forest and The New Wild – an episode which explores the ingenious ways mammals are adapting to a world dominated by humans, arguably the most successful mammal of all. And each episode covers a range of remarkable mammals – from the miniature tenrecs of Madagascar to the humpback whales of the Indian ocean.

Roger Webb, Executive Producer says: “Being mammals ourselves, the animals featured in the series and the stories told about them are instantly relatable. It’s impossible not to admire a mother capuchin monkey who’s able to provide her baby with a drink in a dry, sun baked forest or a chimpanzee father giving his family a lesson in finding honey buried underground. This connection to us, makes Mammals an incredibly engaging and compelling piece of television – one that will also lead us to question our role in the lives of the wild mammals we share the planet with.”

Scott Alexander, Series Producer says: “Mammals includes animals like the great apes, the big cats, dolphins, whales as well as the mythical wolverine and adorable tenrec – who wouldn’t want to make a series with such a wonderful cast of animals”.

Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, adds: “Following the enormous success of Wild Isles and Planet Earth III last year, I’m delighted Sir David is returning to the BBC to present this fascinating new series. Mammals are the most adaptable and – for my money – adorable animals on earth, and I can’t wait for viewers to learn more about the remarkable strategies they use to survive in every corner of the planet.”

Mammals, a 6 x 60’ series made by BBC Studios Natural History Unit and co-produced by BBC America, ZDF, Youku and France Télévisions. It was commissioned by Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual and Sreya Biswas, Head of Natural History, BBC Commissioning. The Executive Producer is Roger Webb and the Series Producer is Scott Alexander. It will tx on BBC One and iPlayer this spring.

-ENDS-

For more information contact - Emily Cobby, Publicist: emily.cobby@bbc.co.uk

About BBC Studios Natural History Unit

BBC Studios Natural History Unit produces the world’s most iconic natural history programmes, such as Frozen Planet II, Blue Planet II and Planet Earth II, which have been watched by more than a billion people globally. Ranging from super-landmarks and technically challenging live shows to long-running series and children’s content, The Natural History Unit programmes include The Green Planet and Seven Worlds, One Planet presented by Sir David Attenborough, Dynasties, Springwatch and Andy’s Aquatic Adventures, and third-party commissions for Discovery, AppleTV+, NBCU, National Geographic, and BBC America. The Natural History Unit is part of BBC Studios.

About BBC Studios

BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group with sales of £2.1 billion (2021/22: £1,630 million). Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, the business is built on two operating areas: the global Content Studio, which produces, invests and distributes content globally and Channels & Streaming, with BBC branded channels, services and joint ventures in the UK and internationally. Around 2,500 hours of award-winning British programmes are made by the business every year, with over 80% of total BBC Studios revenues coming from non-BBC customers including Discovery, Apple and Netflix. Its content is internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who. BBC.com is BBC Studios’ global digital news platform, offering up-to-the-minute international news, in-depth analysis and features.

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