Planet Earth II Lands in Sweden, Denmark & Italy

LONDON: BBC Worldwide has licensed the Sir David Attenborough-narrated natural-history series Planet Earth II into Denmark, Sweden and Italy.

Planet Earth II, formerly known by the working title One Planet, is a co-production from BBC, BBC America, ZDF and France Télévisions. It has been presold to SVT in Sweden and DR in Denmark. In addition, the six-parter (also available in a 50-minute format) has been acquired by Italian broadcaster Mediaset, which will serve as an “in association with” partner in Italy. The program from the BBC Natural History Unit follows on from the critically acclaimed miniseries Planet Earth, which sold into more than 230 territories.

The series takes viewers into jungles, mountains, deserts, islands and cities to explore the unique characteristics of various habitats. Planet Earth II uses technological advances in filming to illustrate how animals survive in different environments.

Planet Earth II headlines the factual slate at the BBC Worldwide Showcase in Liverpool, where Attenborough, executive producer Mike Gunton and producer Tom Hugh-Jones are being interviewed by documentary filmmaker and broadcaster Louis Theroux on February 23. Other titles being presented at Showcase this week include Seasonal Wonderlands, The Great Race, Weird Wonders of the World, Wild New Zealand, Life in the Air and Forces of Nature, among others.

Gunton, executive producer at the BBC Natural History Unit, said: “Ten years after Planet Earth first brought the wonders of the natural world to viewers in HD, Planet Earth II is another game-changer. Shot in UHD, the epic scale and ambition of this series is second to none. It will be a truly immersive experience, providing audiences with a unique perspective on the most extraordinary places and animals on our planet.”

Tobi de Graaff, the executive VP of Western Europe at BBC Worldwide, added: “Planet Earth II is simply outstanding television and these presales are a testament to its amazing quality. It leads our brilliantly eclectic factual slate, which includes everything from The Story of China to Wild New Zealand.”