The presenters and filmmakers behind BBC's breathtaking Planet Earth III have been catapulted to national stardom as the series achieves a monumental television milestone. The wildlife documentary has officially become the most-watched programme of the entire year, captivating a staggering 12 million viewers across the United Kingdom.
The series finale, which aired on Sunday, December 10th, drew an enormous audience of 5.8 million people overnight. This figure is expected to skyrocket even further once consolidated viewing data, including those who watched on iPlayer, is fully calculated. The final episode provided a spectacular conclusion to a series praised for its groundbreaking cinematography and urgent environmental message.
From Crew to Celebrities
Narrated by the legendary Sir David Attenborough, the show's success has turned its dedicated crew into unlikely celebrities. Camera operators, researchers, and producers, usually hidden behind the lens, are now being recognised on the street for their incredible work bringing the planet's most remote and fascinating creatures into British living rooms.
The show's triumph is a testament to the enduring power of the BBC's Natural History Unit and the public's insatiable appetite for high-quality, educational content. It soundly outperformed its competitors, including the popular reality show I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! on ITV.
A National Event
Each episode of Planet Earth III became a national event, with families gathering to watch the stunning visuals and compelling animal stories. The BBC has confirmed that the show's viewership comfortably makes it the number one programme of 2023, a huge win for factual broadcasting.
This success story highlights a continued trend of nature documentaries dominating the ratings, proving that the UK's love affair with wildlife programming, particularly fronted by Sir David Attenborough, is stronger than ever.
