David Attenborough is this week’s Radio Times cover star

Ahead of the BBC’s new series Wild Isles, producer Alastair Fothergill discusses Attenborough’s first home-based landmark show and how they prepare for physically demanding terrain.

Sir David Attenborough in Wild Isles

BBC/Silverback Films/Chris Howard

Published: Tuesday, 7 March 2023 at 10:46 am

Subscribe to Radio Times magazine and get 12 issues for £1

No man has opened our eyes to more wonders of the natural world than Sir David Attenborough. From his Zoo Quest debut in the 1950s to his game-changing Life on Earth in 1979 and his travels round the globe for, among others, Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet, Sir David has taken us to the farthest-flung parts of the world to study nature first-hand.

Ad

But in all his eight decades in front of the camera, he has never turned his gaze on the flora and fauna of the British Isles – not in a landmark series at least. Until now. Because this week he returns to our screens to present Wild Isles, which has all the hallmarks of an Attenborough epic, to study the natural wonders of his native islands.

It’s a spectacular look at our real national treasures, including the majestic eagles of the Scottish Highlands, the puffin colonies of Skomer Island in Wales, and the rare grasslands of East Anglia’s Fens. Proof, if it were needed, that you don’t need to go on safari to find awe-inspiring beauty in the wild.

At 96, Sir David still remains involved in all aspects of his film-making, even scrambling about on cliff tops after dark in pursuit of the perfect shot, as Radio Times magazine discovered for our latest issue when we took a look behind the scenes in the company of Wild Isles producer Alastair Fothergill.

Sir David Attenborough Radio Times cover

This week also marks 38 years of Comic Relief and in this issue we’re joined by the charity’s co-founder, Richard Curtis, the man behind the classic TV comedy Blackadder and hit romcoms like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually. Discover his favourite memories from three-and-a-half decades of Red Nose Days.

You can also read an interview with Curtis in View from My Sofa, and hear a longer version of that chat when he appears as this week’s special guest on The Radio Times Podcast. In the episode, Richard talks about his Love Island obsession, the tragedy of his acting career and his favourite Comic Relief moments.

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Spotify. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Spotify may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Spotify and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Want to see this content?

This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.

Accept and continue

Also in this week’s Radio Times:

Ad

Wild Isles begins at 7pm on Sunday 12th March on BBC One.
If you're looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide and Streaming Guide or visit our Documentaries hub for more news and features.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Laura Rutkowski

Ad

Ad

Subscribe for £1 per week

Too much to watch this autumn? Let Radio Times magazine and app do the choosing, with expert picks across TV, streaming and film.

Subscribe now

Loading...

Ad

Loading...