Hilary Jeffkins is a keen naturalist and award-winning wildlife Filmmaker, Producer and Director. After graduating from York St John University with a BSc in Biology she joined the BBC Natural History Unit and worked there for over 25 years. In her early career she produced and developed live programmes, including Heading South, Wild Britain and Bird in the Nest, precursors to Springwatch. She has worked with film crews in Britain and abroad, in the field and in studios to produce a variety of programmes including the Really Wild Show (BAFTA), Wildlife on One, Bill Oddie Goes Wild and David Attenborough’s Life in Cold Blood (BAFTA).

Nature in our islands will prove just as spectacular as anywhere else on the planet, but it is increasingly fragile. With intricately connected species relying on habitats, and one another, for survival, we ask what can be done to protect them and the delicate ecosystems that remain, and to make our wild isles even wilder for future generations.

Tanya Steele, Chief Executive of WWF, says: “The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world – we need to change that. Our aim is that this stunning series featuring some of our best loved species will inspire people to take action to safeguard and restore nature for future generations.”

Nicholson, Rebecca (12 March 2023). "Wild Isles review – David Attenborough's last hurrah makes for unmissable TV". The Guardian . Retrieved 15 September 2023. We are still one of least biodiverse countries in the world, making it important that we protect and restore the wildlife we have [Source: Biodiversity Intactness Study]

There are a number of reasons. Firstly, we have among the most varied geology on the planet. Our temperatures range from subtropical in the far south to arctic conditions on the top of the Cairngorms in Scotland. Our coastline is over 22,000 miles long and we benefit from the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. Our position on the globe is perfect for summer visitors from the south and winter visitors from the north. All these factors combine to create one of the richest natural histories in Europe. We have more ancient oak trees than the whole of Europe put together*, most of the world’s chalk streams flow in southern England and we are globally important for the sea birds. Beccy Speight, Chief Executive of the RSPB, the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, says: “Wild Isles will be essential viewing at a time when we are facing into a nature and climate emergency. Showcasing the UK’s spectacular places and wonderful wildlife gives us a powerful platform to build the broadest and most diverse movement for nature there’s ever been.” We’re also focussed on protecting the natural world around us. Currently, we’re aligning to a framework set out by the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) which guides organisations in reporting on the risks from biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. As part of the project, the BBC is investigating its own operational impact on the environment and we have conducted an initial bio-diversity footprint study, in conjunction with a specialist team from the University of Oxford. To accompany Wild Isles, through the Spring and Summer across the BBC there is a major focus on nature, designed to deepen audiences’ understanding and inspire them to get involved. Presented by Sir David Attenborough, co-produced by The Open University, the RSPB and WWF, and filmed over three years, the series uses the very latest technology to capture dramatic new behaviour, from battling butterflies to hunting sea eagles and killer whales - revealing a previously unseen wild side of the British Isles.

I hope the audience will be genuinely surprised by the richness of our natural history. At the same time, I hope they will recognise how fragile and precious it is. The RSPB is protecting habitats, saving species and helping to end the nature and climate emergency. Nature is in crisis. Together we can save it. www.rspb.org.uk Ever since I worked on the original Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet series, I have always wanted to cover the British Isles and our natural history with a similarly ambitious and epic approach. I knew that nobody had ever had the opportunity before to really do justice to the spectacular scenery and rich and varied wildlife found at home. I also have a personal passion for our natural history.A collection of the finest British and Irish nature writing, organised along 14 themes (birds, four seasons, swimming, islands and coastlines...). Cooke, Rachel (2023-03-12). "David Attenborough's Wild Isles makes me proud to be British, despite everything". New Statesman . Retrieved 2023-03-12. Diverse geology: Cumbria ; Lake District ; Dorset ; Scottish Highlands ; Skye ; Yorkshire Dales ; North Pennines ; Giant’s Causeway, Northern Ireland Gisle Sverdrup is a natural history filmmaker specialising in programmes about the underwater world. His passion for the oceans has previously seen him film all around the world, working on major projects for the BBC, Netflix and Disney. He combines his knowledge of biology and technology to find engaging stories and tell them in new and exciting ways, often using equipment developed specifically for each project. Credits Britain and Ireland have some of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes on Earth. We have more ancient oak trees than the rest of Europe put together; sixty percent of the world’s chalk streams flow in southern England; our remaining flower meadows are a vital refuge for breeding birds and butterflies; and our coasts are home to internationally important numbers of seabirds. Yet our wildlife is increasingly fragmented and fragile - this series explains the challenges nature faces today, and what can be done to make our wild isles even wilder in the future.

All of us at the RSPB have felt so privileged to contribute alongside our fellow co-producers WWF and The Open University.Wild Isles is a once-in-a-generation celebration of UK wildlife, but it’s also a stark warning of how much we have to lose. Our experts were among those who provided guiding science and advice, as well as offering our amazing reserves to film everything from dragonflies to golden eagles. We can’t wait to see what action is sparked by this milestone series - nature is in crisis, but we know that together we can save it.” I particularly enjoyed the episodes dedicated to the 19th century poet John Clare (part of his autobiography, as well as the consequences of the Enclosure on his mental health). The chapter about woods proved to be a compelling read, with contributions by Sara Maitland (on how forests have created themes for fairy tales), Robert Macfarlane (the wood wide web, mosses and funghi) and John Fowles (on the spellbounding Wistman's Wood). I also enjoyed the texts gathered in the rather original chapter urban nature (about plants on dumps, urban foxes, the decline of moths and house sparrows). Sir David says: “In my long lifetime, I have travelled to almost every corner of our planet. I can assure you that in the British Isles, as well as astonishing scenery there are extraordinary animal dramas and wildlife spectacles to match anything I have seen on my global travels.”Camerawoman Katie Mayhew said: “Surprisingly the ripe flowers only stayed hot for a few hours during their life cycle and at their hottest they really did smell - you could even feel the heat by touch. Capturing the colour to thermal transitional shots was a complicated task, like filming a puzzle. First, we captured a series of images on a low light colour camera which we then could stitch together to create a very large image. Then we had to capture exactly to the sequence of images with the thermal camera so that the overall stitched images from the colour and thermal would match. These master images could then be transitioned from colour to thermal to take the viewer from what we humans see and what really is going on with the flower.” Filming Feat/Remarkable Behaviour Britain is listed as the worst country in the G7 for wildlife and wild spaces lost due to human activity [Source: Natural History Museum] We are custodians to more than 50% of the world’s common bluebells and we have 85% of the worlds chalk streams [Bluebells source: The Wildlife Trusts] [Chalk stream source: WWF] Each chapter focuses on a particular kind of wild space. Britain and Ireland are dominated by a wide variety of grasslands from lowland water meadows to upland moors, and we will see how these human-shaped, semi-natural landscapes thrum with insect, bird and mammal life. Life requires water to flourish, and streams and rivers carry freshwater through our landscape, creating unique ecosystems and interrelations within and beside these waters, which are revealed in a third section. While Britain and Ireland’s woodlands are comparatively thin on the ground compared with most of continental Europe, we will see some of the forests and trees that remain are unusually ancient and, great repositories of life. Finally, of course, we are surrounded by sea, and our position on the continental shelf before it plunges into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean gives rise to an often overlooked plenty of marine life. A glorious richness divided into five breathtaking sections.