Join us for the return of Springwatch, a series co-produced by the BBC and The Open University (OU) celebrating a season full of new life and hope.
This year, the series returns to BBC Two from Monday 27th May for three weeks of live programmes.
Hosts Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan, and lolo Williams return to present the series, based once again at the beautiful RSPB Arne in Dorset, where they’ll be catching up with stories and wildlife from 2023 as well as exploring key sites across the county. The series will also feature a road trip to Isle of Bute, Loch Lomond and Glasgow.
As always, the audience will be encouraged to join the conversation with our presenters reacting to topics and questions from viewers as they come in.
With an overarching theme of ‘Little Things Make A Big Difference’, this season of Springwatch explores the premise that even the smallest of actions to help our wildlife can have a massive impact when we act collectively.
The team has a new array of live nest-cameras rigged across springtime locations to bring a fresh cast of characters to the audience. There is also a range of pre-recorded films capturing what’s been happening across the UK.
This year, the series will also be revealing more behind the scenes of Springwatch so the viewers can have exclusive access into how the series is made and the care we take not to disturb our wildlife cast of characters.
Set against the backdrop of Poole Harbour, RSPB Arne seems to have it all. Famous for its wide-open heathlands where reptiles roam, we’ll be exploring ancient oak woodlands, farmland and reedbeds. If that wasn’t enough, mudflats, scrub, wet woodland and acid grassland are just some of the habitats where the huge variety of wildlife which call Arne home can be found.
OU academics Andy Morris, Yoseph Araya and Marcus Badger acted as academic consultants for the series, providing expert insight and research to support the development of Springwatch.
Dr Andy Morris, Staff Tutor and Senior Lecturer in Geography at the OU and academic consultant on the series, said:
“The role of Springwatch is vitally important as it consistently reaches a huge audience by combining the popular appeal of wildlife watching whilst also engaging with serious issues such as biodiversity loss, climate change and the mental health benefits of engaging with wildlife.
“It’s also an interesting and exciting challenge working with live broadcast as we liaise with the production team each day ahead of the evening broadcast. It really is a privilege to be involved with what I believe is one of the most significant current UK television series, and the fact that it is now in its twentieth year is testament to that.”
- Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Director, Broadcast and Partnerships
- Academic Consultants: Dr Yoseph Araya, Dr Marcus Badger (STEM) and Dr Andy Morris (FASS)
- Media Fellow: Professor Andrew Norton (STEM) and Professor Zoe Walkington (FASS)
- Broadcast Project Manager: Jo Shipp
- Supporting Online Content: Patrick Kearney
Supporting online content:
Broadcast and Partnerships have produced a fantastic poster ‘Wildlife Watch’ exploring different species that can be found in Britain and Ireland and the diverse habitats in which they live!
To order your free copy, call 0300 303 2465 or order online via OU Connect.
Take part in our Citizen Science mission, Springtime Renewal by sharing your experiences of eco-anxiety and exploring practical ways to help, nurturing a deeper connection with nature through positive actions.
For all this and more visit our Broadcast and Partnerships site OU Connect where you can also explore an interactive version of the Wildlife Watch map.
NB: this website may not be live until transmission dates
