Sir David Attenborough returning to TV screens this weekend with brand new series

Sir David Attenborough will be back on our screens this week with his new series Wild Isles, likely to be his last on location.

In his new five-part series, the 96-year-old — who usually travels around the globe to capture nature at its most spectacular — will explore the natural history in Britain and Ireland for the first time in his long career. For the first time he will focus on the natural history closer to home as he says the British Isles can be just as ‘dramatic and spectacular’ as anything elsewhere.

The TV legend says there’s never been a more important time to invest in nature in our own backyard as his new show will shine a light on the disappearing species and the challenges facing local wildlife.

Nearly half of British wildlife species have declined since 1970. While filming on location at a puffin colony on Skomer Island off the west coast of Wales, he says: “Though rich in places Britain as a whole is one of the most nature depleted countries in the world.

“Never has there been a more important time to invest in our own wildlife – to try and set an example for the rest of the world and restore our once wild isles for future generations.”

The nature enthusiast said one of his regrets is spending so much time overseas working on natural history programmes, rather than looking at nature right on his own doorstep.

The show’s producers said Sir Attenborough had agreed to narrate the new series from the start but later agreed to presenting it after he was approached to do so because he can share his rare perspective on the changes to the British countryside after almost a century of life.

Wild Isles producer Alistair Fothergill, who has worked with David Attenborough for 35 years, wanted to call attention to internationally important wildlife and habitats on our own islands, from seabirds to chalk streams. Speaking to the BBC he said: “We are globally important for nature – and I don’t think many people in Britain appreciate that. It was very important to us to say, this is really precious, but at the same time it’s fragile.”

Crews went out to capture wildlife around Britain and Ireland using modern technology including drones and slow-motion cameras. After visiting 145 locations over three years to produce the footage, crews managed to capture moments of high drama including Orcas hunting seals off the coast of Scotland and a white-tailed eagle pulling a goose from the sky — in never before seen behaviour in the British Isles.

Scientific advisor on the series, Dr Philip Wheeler of the Open University, said he hoped the programmes would generate public awareness of nature loss close to home. Wild Isles is released shortly after nearly 200 countries pledged to protect 30% of lands and seas for nature by 2030 at the UN nature summit in Montreal.

Speaking to BBC News Dr Wheeler said: “I think it can make a lot of difference in terms of shifting the conversation and the narrative. It’s not just the nature nerds and the conservation community talking — this conversation spills out into the wider public and into the political arena as well.”

The series was co-produced and co-funded by two conservation charities, WWF and RSPB, and the Open University. Wild Isles will air on BBC One on Sunday March 12th.