BBC’s biggest wildlife series to air live around the world

The BBC has announced major television events for 2012, including its most ambitious wildlife project ever and a range of titles to mark London in the international spotlight.

London Calling and Planet Earth Live will run simultaneously across the BBC channels around the world.

Planet Earth Live (not to be confused with that other title!) will bring real animals and their everyday dramas to a global audience in real time. Viewers will witness first-hand these incredible animals’ struggle for survival in this animal soap opera, where nature writes the script

“Planet Earth Live and London Calling will enable our audiences to feel part of a truly global viewing experience – whether it be witnessing the wonder of nature as it unfolds before them or revelling in the celebrations taking place across London without ever having to leave the comfort of their living room.”

Planet Earth Live comes from the team behind Frozen Planet, joined by a wildlife camera crew and species experts, beaming in live from all around the world using real-time filming techniques, up-close HD wildlife footage and spectacular cinematography.

It will features baby elephants in Kenya, black bears in Minnesota, Macaque monkeys in Sri Lanka and grey whales in the Pacific.

Richard Hammond will anchor live from Africa and Countryfile’s Julia Bradbury will be presenting from North America.

Tim Scoones, Executive Producer for Planet Earth Live said: “Planet Earth Live combines the big landmark series the BBC’s natural history unit is world renowned for with live broadcasting, real time storytelling and digital innovation. I’m delighted to have the chance to show this unique series around the world.”

Planet Earth Live will be screened in Australia and New Zealand on BBC Knowledge.

Meanwhile, London Calling features a range of programming including live coverage from the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations – Thames River Pagent, BBC concert from Buckingham Palace and Thanksgiving Service & Royal Procession.

London Calling programmes will air between June and August on UKTV, BBC Knowledge and BBC World News.

Jana Bennett, President Worldwide Networks and Global BBC iPlayer, said, “By creating synchronised broadcasts, we unite our viewers around the world and give them a real appointment to view. Ours is the only network in the world which can deliver such massive global moments to an international audience and is what made our coverage of The Royal Wedding last year so successful. This year I want to go bigger and bolder.

“In the 1960’s, Carnaby Street, Mary Quant and David Bailey put London at the heart of the Swinging Sixties; fifteen years ago there was Cool Britannia, and in 2012 the spotlight will focus firmly on London again. The BBC will be there, telling the story of a world-class city to a global audience”.

Also coming are:

Andrew Marr presents a definitive analysis of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign with exclusive interviews with members of the Royal family including Princes William and Harry, The Duke of York and the Princess Royal in Diamond Queen, and uplifting drama Going for Gold- the ’48 games which stars Matt Smith (Doctor Who) as Bert Bushall one half of the gold medal-winning double sculls team that swept to Olympic glory against all the odds.

Viewers will also be invited to take a trip behind the scenes of the world’s oldest, biggest and busiest underground train network in The Tube1 and laugh-out-loud at the wickedly funny comedy Twenty Twelve which follows the fictional Olympics Deliverance team as they prepare for the London 2012 games. The season will also include the adventures of London’s most famous supersleuth, as Benedict Cumberbatch stars in BAFTA award-winning Sherlock.

BBC World News continues its unprecedented year-long focus on London through the London Calling season. World Olympic Dreams profiles 25 athletes drawn from across all five continents and competing in 20 different sports. This April, Gold medallist Matthew Pinsent travels to Brazil – host to the Olympic Games in 2016 – where he meets a judo fighter, a boxer and four rugby players whose lives have been transformed from tragedy to triumph.

To celebrate London 2012, the Globe Theatre will stage every one of Shakespeare’s plays in a different language over six weeks between April and June. The festival concludes with a performance of The Comedy of Errors in Dari, from Afghanistan. Globe to Globe on BBC World News follows the theatre company’s journey – from the desperate search for actresses willing to risk persecution by taking part in Kabul, to rehearsals in India, and finally to the Globe’s stage, where they hope to challenge the global perception of Afghanistan.