WildBear Entertainment Wins Commission for Scottish Vets Down Under

BBC Scotland has ordered Scottish Vets Down Under, a new ob-doc series, from Australia’s WildBear Entertainment.

Scottish Vets Down Under follows Dr. Chris Allison and Dr. Mike Whiteford, two vets who have left Scotland for Bendigo in the Australian state of Victoria. A fish-out-of-water take on vet and animal rescue shows, the series sees these longtime best friends help local pets and farm animals as well as a range of native wildlife, including anteaters and kangaroos. The series also introduces the other vets and nurses in their team at the Bendigo Animal Hospital and local animal owners.

Scottish Vets Down Under will premiere on BBC Scotland on May 25 and has been picked up for broadcast by ABC in Australia. WildBear Entertainment’s partner, Wild Thring Media, will be representing the series for sale internationally.

WildBear Entertainment’s Veronica Fury, who is the show’s executive producer, said: “We are very proud of Scottish Vets Down Under and have loved working on a series that has such huge amounts of heart and humor in every episode. These wonderful best-friend vets, undertaking day-to-day cases—anything from check-ups to major surgeries—would have made for engaging and addictive television on its own. However, when you add in animals that the vets have never encountered, a new environment that they are still getting to know, and the wide range of adventures they undertake in their downtime – everything from gold-hunting to flying lessons—it adds a fresh new narrative layer to this popular genre.”

Steve Allen from BBC Scotland added: “Dr Chris and Dr Mike’s love of animals is at the center of this warm-hearted vets series. Their deep friendship, and infectious charm, shine through as we follow them on their Australian adventure. I’m confident they will prove to be a big hit with our viewers.”

Edwina Thring from Wild Thring Media commented: “Vet and pet shows remain immensely popular with broadcasters around the globe, so we confident that Scottish Vets Down Under will be in great demand. The Australian backdrop naturally offers a rich seam of both familiar and unusual animals, which in itself is appealing, and the fish-out-of-water angle gives this series an added edge. With its interesting content, emotional warmth and likeable characters, I could see this series working well in family, daytime or primetime slots.”