China’s CCTV Boards David Attenborough’s BBC Natural History Series ‘Seven Worlds, One Planet’

China’s CCTV has come on board David Attenborough’s BBC natural history series Seven Worlds, One Planet.

The Chinese public broadcaster is to co-produce the seven-part series, which airs later this year. It joins Chinese digital platform Tencent, which has previously been on board via its Tencent Penguin Pictures division and the two companies will broadcast simultaneously.

CCTV is the latest co-producer of the BBC series, which is produced by BBC Studios’ Natural History Unit, alongside BBC America, Germany’s ZDF and France Télévisions. The agreement was sealed at BBC Studios’ Natural History and Science Open Day in Bristol, UK.

Seven Worlds, One Planet tells the story of the planet’s spectacular wildlife and iconic landscapes. This series will reveal how each distinct continent has shaped the unique animal life found there.

Viewers will discover why Australasia is full of peculiar and venomous wildlife; why North America is a land of opportunity where pioneers succeed; and what the consequences are for life racing to compete on the richest of all continents, South America. The series will feature remarkable, new animal behaviour from all the continents including the baking plains of Africa and the frozen waters off Antarctica. In Asia, the biggest of all continents, we will showcase life at the extremes, whilst in Europe we will reveal surprising wildlife dramas hidden right alongside us.

“We’ve been partnering with BBC Studios for some time to bring premium documentaries to our audiences in China,” said Shilun Shi, CCTV9 Director in Programming Department, “Our co-operation can be dated back as early as 2008 when Wild China was first co-produced between the two broadcasters. Over the years, we have been co-producing landmarks including Africa, Blue Planet II and Dynasties. We are looking forward to deepening our working relationship with BBC Studios on more fruitful and successful projects and believe it will help benefit the whole industry.”

David Weiland, EVP, Asia, BBC Studios added, “We are excited to extend our long standing and mutually beneficial relationships with CCTV and Tencent. By partnering with companies of this calibre we are able to bring the BBC’s world class natural history to Chinese audiences and invest in the next generation of landmark natural history programmes.”