Wild West: America's Great Frontier

There is nowhere in America more spectacular or more varied than the great Wild West, home to extraordinary desert landscapes like the Grand Canyon, Death Valley, Monument Valley, giant redwood forests and extreme coastlines that have been forged over millennia.

In this landmark BBC Two series, narrated by actor James Norton, we reveal how these extraordinary worlds were carved out, what makes them so unique and the elemental forces governing the lives of the creatures and people that have settled there.

This iconic land is famed for its myths and Hollywood legends; but remains one of the toughest places to live, where communities have become ghost towns, and today people and wildlife with extraordinary resilience are embracing a demanding, ever-changing landscape. Filmed over two years, across eight different American states and Mexico’s Baja peninsula, the series uses the latest technology from land, sea and air to bring this legendary part of the world to life.

This opening episode guides viewers through desert heartlands, travelling from the cold, high deserts of Nevada to the giant cactus-studded lands of Arizona and the scorching Mojave Desert in California. It will show how some of America’s most iconic animals and plants, like mustangs and coyotes, desert tortoises and giant cactuses, have all learned to survive here. Their unique way of life reveals how timing, patience, cunning tactics and sheer bravery can make all the difference in this land where food and water are always in short supply.

Pictured: Cowboys rounding up wild desert mustangs

Publicity contact: EK