BBC would be 'crazy to count out' Planet Earth III - but it won't happen any time soon
As Planet Earth II comes to an end this weekend the producer of the smash-hit BBC show has said the broadcaster would be “crazy to count out” a third instalment.
Speaking to the Guardian, producer Mike Gunton, who is also creative director of the BBC’s natural history unit, said despite the popularity of the show - which has attracted more than 12 million viewers each week - a third round wouldn’t be possible any time soon, but it could come back.
“We would be crazy to say it will be here in three years’ time or even five years’ time,” he said, as the success of the show is mostly down to fact a decade has past since the original show - “it does feel the right length of time to revisit the original conceit.”
Narrated by Sir David Attenborough, the popular BBC show has been attracting more young adult (16-34 year-old) viewers than the X Factor which shares the same 8pm Sunday evening time slot on ITV. It has also been a hit internationally, screening in several countries and sold to air in many more.
Of the show’s success, Gunton remarked he was “slightly scratching [his] head” to explain it.
“The stars have obviously aligned in a very unusual way. Obviously I would like to hope it’s the quality of the programmes, but I also think this is a kind of moment. You get a sense from talking to people that they have been worried about the world, and this is an opportunity to see some of the wonders of the world and perhaps take their minds off that.”
Planet Earth II has focused on various different terrains over its six-episode run concluding with 'Cities' on Sunday 11 December.