A week of celebratory programming coming to BBC Daytime this summer
Animal Park (w/t) will return to the Longleat Estate and BBC One in the summer to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the UK’s first drive-through safari park.
Published: 30 March 2016
Longleat’s 50th anniversary celebrations are an enormous landmark and we’re delighted Animal Park will be returning to the BBC this summer to mark it.
Much loved Animal Park presenters Ben Fogle and Kate Humble return to join the animals and keepers to celebrate, commemorate and continue the story of Britain’s wildest country house. Jean Johansson will join the team as a roving reporter.
Each of the five 45-minute episodes will tell a different story about the 50 years which have passed since the 6th Marquess of Bath decided to allow the public to drive their cars through a field of lions and picnic among the giraffes, in 1968.
As well as looking back the series will uncover what’s going on at the park today, with its new generation of keepers looking after more than 1,100 wild, cute and deadly animals across the estate.
Animal Park (w/t) will follow each dramatic moment of jeopardy and joy surrounding every new birth, plus those inevitable moments of heartache too.
The new series will celebrate the anniversary alongside the much-loved faces from previous series’ whilst also embracing cutting edge technology to bring viewers closer to the animals than ever before.
Ben Fogle says: “I’m extremely excited to return to Animal Park this summer. I spent many happy years filming at the legendary safari park. Kate and I can’t wait to meet some of the new arrivals who help make Longleat such a magical place to visit.”
Kate Humble adds: “It’s a huge honour to be invited back to Longleat to celebrate its 50th birthday. It’s been eight years since I started filming Animal Park and I’m looking forward to see all the impressive changes that have been made over the years.”
Jean Johansson (pictured above) adds: “I am thrilled to be joining Kate and Ben on Animal Park. I’m looking forward to meeting all the characters and creatures at Longleat this summer!”
Executive Producer, Joff Wilson says: “Longleat’s 50th anniversary celebrations are an enormous landmark and we’re delighted Animal Park will be returning to the BBC this summer to mark it. The new series will be a fascinating look back at the last 50 years as well as bringing viewers all the latest stories and action from this marvellous safari park.”
BBC Commissioning Editor, Lindsay Bradbury said: "It's fantastic to get the dream team back together. We're just running the health and safety checks on the opening sequence, with the original 1960s vintage cars stalling in the lion enclosure."
Animal Park w/t (5 x 45’) is set to air later this summer and is a Remarkable Television production, part of Endemol Shine Group for the BBC. Lindsay Bradbury is the commissioning editor for the BBC. Joff Wilson is the Executive Producer at Remarkable Television.
Notes to Editors
Animal Park was first broadcast on the BBC between 2000 and 2009.
People can contact animalpark@remarkable.tv if they have any mementos or stories that will allow us to tell the story of Britain's wildest country house.
More information on how to provide stories is on the BBC website here
RM
