Sir David Attenborough is set to return to screens as part of a major new BBC series focusing on the UK’s wildlife. 

The natural history broadcaster, whose career spans seven decades, teamed up with The Open University, the WWF and the RSPB to create Wild Isles, a new documentary series aiming to capture never-before-seen aspects of UK wildlife’s behaviour.

Filming took place over three years and used cutting-edge technology, including motion controlled time-lapse photography, low-light cameras and macro photography.

Wild Isles, which will span across five episodes, promises to ‘do for the wildlife of Britain and Ireland what the Planet series have done for the wildlife of the world’.

BBC

The first episode of the BBC One series will detail why the wildlife and landscape of the British Isles is so globally important, while the next four episodes will explore woodlands, grasslands, freshwater and marine.

Viewers can expect to see an array of Britain’s most fascinating animals, wildlife and plants, including ancient oak trees, sea eagles, killer whales, wild horses and even a broomstick-riding bee.

Sir David said of the upcoming series: “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.”

BBC

Executive producer Alistair Fothergill said: “I have always wanted to make a landmark series that really does justice to our own extraordinary wildlife. I am sure people will be amazed at what is happening right on their own doorstep.”

The BBC’s head of commissioning for science and natural history Jack Bootle added: “The multi-award winning team at Silverback are creating an eye-opening celebration of British and Irish wildlife that has to be seen to be believed.

“You’ll think a meadow in Somerset is as beautiful as the Serengeti, and the North Atlantic as wild and dramatic as the Antarctic Ocean.”

Wild Isles is expected to air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in Spring 2023. 

New details regarding ITV’s Big Brother reboot have emerged today, including its airing date and filming location.

Last week, ITV confirmed it will be bringing the famed reality series back to screens once more, with the series going ‘back to basics’ on ITV2 next year.

Much like the former seasons, ‘housemates’ from across the country and all walks of life will be homed in a brand new Big Brother house, with the eyes of the nation watching their every move across a six week period.

According to the show release, ‘the action will all play out under the roof of the iconic Big Brother house, which will be given its own contemporary new look ready for this reimagining of the show.’

While further details surrounding the new show have remained tightly under wraps, TV insiders have today told Politicalite that a new Big Brother House ‘fit for the Love Island generation’ is being built at Bovingdon Airfield in Hertfordshire.

The site, owned by ITV, has been a popular filming location for years, with it being used for Dancing on Ice since 2018 after Elstee Studios became unavailable.

The BBC also used the location to film series one and two of Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel and in 2019, it was used for a television adaptation of A Christmas Carol.

It has also been suggested that live evictions will be making a come back, as will the weekly public voting.

An inside source told the outlet: “The new series will have massive live eviction shows like the reality juggernauts early days plus spin offs… The show will bring back weekly public voting meaning you decide once more.”

The infamous twenty-four-hour live feed will also be making a return thanks to the new ITVX Netflix-style streaming platform.

There has been no word on who will present the revived show.

Big Brother originally aired in 2000 on Channel 4, where it enjoyed ten successful years until its axe in 2010. Channel 5 temporarily revived the show the following year, but that too faced the chop seven years later in 2018.

Reports back in April suggested the revived Big Brother would replicate the success of ITV2’s smash hit dating series Love Island, with the aim to open up to a legion of younger fans.

Love Island star Jacques O’Neill has opened up about his shock exit from the villa, revealing that he ‘wanted to go into hiding’ and was initially ‘angry’ with his mum.

The twenty-three-year-old came onto the show as a bombshell on day seven, and was quick to strike up a romance with Welsh paramedic Paige Thorne. 

However, his behaviour with new arrivals while the girls were away in Casa Amor caused a rift between the pair and, after twenty-nine days in the villa, the former rugby player announced he would be leaving, saying he felt he could ‘no longer be myself’. 

Since his departure from the show, Jacques has been inundated with hateful comments on social media, something he has now said made him ‘want to go into hiding’. 

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A post shared by Jacques O’Neill (@jacques9oneill_)

Appearing on Good Morning Britain yesterday (August 4th), Jacques discussed his experience in the aftermath of the show, saying: “When I first came out, I was very scared. I was scared of life and what was to come next for me.

“All I wanted to do was go into hiding with my mum. I was getting so much hate. We were getting death threats so I said to my mum ‘we just need to stay indoors’.”

He added: “I planned to delete social media and never been seen again.” 

However, Jacques also admitted he was initially ‘angry’ with his mum after finding out she’d spoken about his ADHD in an Instagram post while he was in the villa, something he says he didn’t want used as an excuse for his behaviour.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jacques O’Neill (@jacques9oneill_)

He said: “When I got out, I was so ready to delete that [Instagram post]. I was angry at my mum… I didn’t want an excuse for my behaviour. It wasn’t that at all. My mum was getting hate, I think she felt she had to.”

But once the dust had settled, Jacques said he was able to see all the positive messages being sent to him, with fans calling him an ‘inspiration’ and a ‘role model’ for others living with ADHD.

Read More: Love Island’s Liam Llewellyn breaks silence on his decision to leave the villa

He explained: “I then started to get messages saying I’m a role model with the ADHD thing and I decided I need to stand up and be there for them. I was overwhelmed with it all.

“I’ve been posting a lot saying thank you because if it wasn’t for them, I would still be in that dark place, if it wasn’t for the people giving me love I would be in a bad place.”

“I suddenly thought if people are thinking this about me, I can’t just turn my back on it. I need to stand up and do something. I was getting fully grown men message me and say I was an inspiration. It was overwhelming.”

He then revealed that he plans on using his new platform to help those living with the condition, that affects behaviour and concentration. 

He said: “My plan moving forward is to work with kids with ADHA, disabilities. A lot of people come out thinking about money but if I can put a smile one someone’s face it makes my day.”

Visit the NHS website for more information on ADHD, its symptoms and various treatments available.